99. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Approaching the veil
For the servicemen who had returned home from the war only to be spat upon, a traditional memorial would have rung hollow. Most war monuments are about the leader and glorious statements about victory, rather than the lives lost. This began to change with World War I, whose memorials in France listed the names of ordinary soldiers lost in the war. Those monuments inspired Maya Lin when, as a 21-year-old architecture student, she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a final project for a class.
Her goal in the design was not to make a statement about the war, but to be honest about death. She cut into the earth to create an edge, a mirror of polished black granite to reflect both the world we are a part of, and the “quieter, darker, more peaceful world” beyond. The names of the dead were carved chronologically, not alphabetically, allowing a veteran to find his or her own tour of duty on the wall, and touch the names of those who died beside him.
It was unlike anything else before it. It is a miracle that it was ever built. It’s a rare opportunity in our culture to approach the veil, the mystery of death, without fanfare or overbearing messages about What It Means, or what happens to us after.
“In November 1982, I was in tears watching these men welcoming themselves home after almost ten years of not being acknowledged by their country for their service, their sacrifice.”
– Maya Lin
Special thanks to Andrée Bober for suggesting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Links:
Too many emails? Instructions for receiving a weekly summary can be found here.
This post is part of The American 250, a series featuring 250 words on 250 objects made by Americans, located in America, in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary. Through December 31, 2026.
I’m looking for ideas for this series — have something you’d like me to consider for inclusion? Please feel free to leave a comment!
When visiting D.C. I always try to stop and spend some time with the Memorial. I never tire of watching the interaction of the monument with the people who approach it - some incredibly poignant moments. My only complaint was that it only lists the names of those KIA which is understandable given the government's wish to minimize the reported human loss but I had several dear friends who flew a dangerous combat mission over North Vietnam and then died trying to get back aboard their carriers on dark stormy nights. Sadly they are not listed since they were simply "operational losses". IMHO we should have recognized every individual who lost their life while serving in Vietnam. As we, hopefully, recognize them all this Memorial Day, may they rest in peace - well done good and faithful servants.
Thank you for this notable entry. I gaze upon it in awe many times during the year, a very close visual reminder of America. And thanks, too, for the reference to Lin's writing.