It said, “Why did you lock the doors when I needed to come in?” Since then the doors have never been locked. Like all stereotypes, this one was unfair. Charles “Mac” Mathias, a Navy veteran of World War II, had been opposed to the war in Vietnam, but he had always respected those who served in it. Crowd at the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1982. William Jayne, who had been wounded in Vietnam, volunteered to head up public relations activities. Following the death of our son, Victor David Westphall, on May 22, 1968, in Vietnam, we decided to build an enduring symbol of the tragedy and futility of war.”  Dr. Victor Westphall. The truth was, veterans were no more likely to be addicted to drugs than those who did not serve. Once Scruggs decided to build the memorial, the next step was to get some people behind him. DOC WESTPHALL The entire text size and layout Lin saw as an open book. “I had my ear to the ground,” Mathias recalled. Find information to plan your visit to the memorial. History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial The design criteria The purpose of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was to honor all who had served, with a special tribute – … “Initially the (Senator’s) staff was split,” recalled Monica Healy, a long-time Mathias aide, “on whether Mathias should take the lead and support the efforts to build the Memorial. Homeless Veterans; Minority Affairs; PTSD & Substance Abuse; POW/MIA; Veterans Health Care; Veterans Incarcerated and in the Justice System; Veterans Against Drugs; Women Veterans; Veterans Advocacy. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. Direct mail was proving to be a highly effective fundraising tool. He reached out to the families that had lost their loved ones, and welcomed home the “maimed in body and spirit”. In this lesson, you will explore the history and meaning of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Just as the American people could be a part of building the Memorial through their contributions and support, they could also have an opportunity to participate in its design. Mathias had grown increasingly concerned about how veterans had been treated on their return. “I just kept thinking to myself how quiet it was, and yet there was an immense feeling of community. No government funds would be necessary. Lincoln Memorial. On Saturday, a grand parade took place where veterans marched joyously out of sync, some hand-in-hand or with their arms draped around one another, holding banners, flags, and signs. The reputation of the jurors was important to attract the best designers and to minimize second guessing by the Federal approval bodies. The purpose of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was to honor all who had served, with a special tribute – their names engraved – for those who did not return. “The three of them had different strengths,” Healy explained. by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker. It was one of the longest wars involving America. On April 27, 1979, four years after the Fall of Saigon, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. (VVMF) was incorporated as a non-profit organization to establish a memorial to veterans of the Vietnam War. The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation is committed to sharing the experiences of the Vietnam War Era and its enduring legacy with future generations.. Our Memorial recognizes the valor of New Jersey’s Veterans and the sacrifices of their families and communities. On November 8, 1979, VVMF held a press conference in which Mathias, Warner, and several others announced the introduction of legislation to grant two acres of land near the Lincoln Memorial for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. “I’m sure I looked like a deer in the headlights, I was so nervous,” Scruggs recalled. The virtual Wall of Faces features a page dedicated to honoring and remembering every person whose name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Early on in the effort to get the Memorial built, there were traces of controversy. And if they were bitter, who could blame them? Victor “Doc” Westphall dedicated his life to the Memorial. As Scruggs had always envisioned, the Memorial would feature all of the names of those who had died. Lin moved to Washington and immediately became part of an internal struggle for control of the design. It was surreal.”. Most at the meeting told him they didn’t want a memorial; they wanted more benefits and government support. Lin and VVMF eventually selected the Cooper-Lecky Partnership as the architect-of-record, with Lin as the project’s design consultant. MEMORIAL HISTORY “The design competition also needed to be able to attract design competitors.”. Scruggs and Doubek realized that Cupp could be instrumental in helping communicate the all-important personal, emotional side of the healing story. “Confused times need simple forms.”, According to the description of the design concept: “The jury chose a design which will stimulate thought rather than contain it.”. An official groundbreaking ceremony was held on March 26, 1982. Scruggs and Doubek met with Mathias to outline their plans. “It was a whirlwind of events, and the press coverage was unbelievable. On that January day, “There was a big explosion,” Scruggs recalled. The text size is less than half an inch, which is unusual for monument design, but was selected to make the memorial read more like a book. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund receives 85.92 out of 100 for their Charity Navigator rating. Warner, at the time married to Elizabeth Taylor, had strong connections to both Hollywood and the corporate world. Paul Haaga’s spouse, Heather Sturt Haaga, soon came forward to lend her experience in fund raising. Woods remembered, “I was like the kid at FAO Schwartz. Spreiregen wrote, “I saw this as a needed opportunity to honor the service and lives of the soldiers we had lost and do so by running a model competition.”, Arthur Mosley headed the site selection task group and was assisted by John Woods, a structural engineer, who had been permanently disabled in a helicopter crash in Vietnam. In December Doubek became the Executive Director, working on a half-time basis for the first few months, and opened the VVMF office on January 2, 1980. Most, like the Lincoln Memorial, were competitions between select designers. “I think I even spilled my coffee.” But, her presence made a difference. The selected design then had to go through Federal agency approval and development into finished plans. In the fall of 1980, VVMF announced the national design competition open to any U.S. citizen, who was over 18 years old. Movies were dealing more realistically with their issues. They wore mothballed uniforms, held hands, and wept. My background was relatively modest,” he said. It would have power for individual veterans, but collectively, they would have even greater power to show the enormity of the sacrifices that were made.”. When they returned home from serving their country, there was no national show of gratitude. Its mere existence would be societal recognition that their sacrifices were honorable rather than dishonorable. With the introduction of legislation, the VVMF leaders realized that it was time to transition from a volunteer committee and to open a staffed office. It was decided that VVMF would hold a design competition, open to any American citizen over 18 years of age. They weren’t nice. “We had been friends for a long time,” Mathias said. Scruggs, Wheeler, and Doubek then scouted the Mall – sometimes by bicycle – to identify the ideal spot: a stretch of parkland known as Constitution Gardens, located on the National Mall adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial. “They are a treasure of design insight and included many prescient thoughts as to how the Memorial would likely be experienced,” Spreiregen wrote of Clay’s notes. Among other duties, Healy was the member of Mathias’ staff who handled memorials and worked as the liaison with the U.S. Department of the Interior. Or, people would tell me, ‘Well why did you let him go?’ Of course, what choice do you have?”. They stressed that all funds for the Memorial would be raised from private donations. When Scruggs went to see the movie in early 1979, it wasn’t the graphic war scenes that haunted him. “We’re all the result of our upbringing. “Many people will not comprehend this design until they experience it.” And that message got through to me.”. Timing is everything, and enough time had passed. “On the second day, the jury examined the designs together, walking the many aisles and stopping at each of the 232 designs that had been flagged by one or more of the jurors, pausing to discuss each design that had been noted. Typical venues include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, war veteran medical facilities, and military cemeteries. “He was an excellent partner and fundraiser.” Mathias knew the legislative process. After the dedication, Scruggs and Wheeler walked together along the upper side of the Memorial ground, near Constitution Avenue. First, if the state ever decides to cease operating it as a state park, the site reverts to the DWVF. EIN: 52-1149668, Copyright 2021 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display, History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. One of Mathias’ early key suggestions was that the memorial should be on the Mall, especially because the anti-war demonstrations had taken place there. The Wall USA is a non-profit endeavor maintained by veterans of the 4th Battalion 9th Infantry Regiment for the benefit of all. Warner, who had served as Secretary of the Navy during the war, was himself a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. The design was considered very carefully due to the distinctive design of the chapel. When VVMF announced the selection of Lin’s design, the initial public reaction was generally positive. Others questioned the intent of the Memorial. From the beginning, people have left tributes at its base. He wanted the memorial to acknowledge and recognize the service and sacrifice of all who served in Vietnam. The senior staffers were against it. But how and where could all of the submissions be displayed? They did not like its minimalist design. The first fundraising letter was signed by Bob Hope. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial opened on the National Mall in Washington, DC on 13 November, 1982. Mathias and Warner continued to rally support and ferry the legislation. Their initial timeline was aggressive, with an ultimate goal of dedicating the Memorial on Veterans Day 1982—just a little more than 36 months away. “The hope is that the creation of the Memorial will begin a healing process,” Doubek wrote. The winning design was the work of Maya Ying Lin of Athens, Ohio, a 21-year-old senior at Yale University. “It just resonated,” he explained. Early in his efforts Scruggs had called on Emogene Cupp, then the national president of the American Gold Star Mothers. When the 18-year-old Scruggs volunteered to enlist in the Army in 1968, debate surrounding Vietnam was escalating. With the site approved, VVMF scrambled to address the issues of what the Memorial would look like and who would design it. On January 21, 1970, Jan Scruggs was having his morning cup of coffee, but he was far from his kitchen table at home. And if they themselves didn’t know how to help, they knew someone who did. Compounding the pain was that society’s ill treatment of the veterans extended to their families. The Vietnam War is a storied time of American history, and getting a memorial tribute to the troops was a complex and rigorous process. The Vietnam War was a divisive and politically polemic war. It was the first major memorial created to honor the veterans of the Vietnam War, and inspired the establishment of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., which was completed over ten years later, in 1982. The Chapel was dedicated on May 22, 1971, the 3rd anniversary of the death of 1st Lt. David Westphall. When Lin asked how many Smiths would be on The Wall, the team realized how important the chronological listing was to the design. It was the first major memorial created to honor the veterans of the Vietnam War, and inspired the establishment of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., which was completed over ten years later, in 1982. Memorial's History. Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. (VVA) is a national non-profit corporation founded in 1978 in the United States that is committed to serving the needs of all veterans. The Visitors Center and Gift Shop are open 7 days a week 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Also during the DAV’s time here, they were able to purchase 25 acres of land giving the site a buffer zone from future development. They needed support, friendship and help. The Salute opened with a vigil Wednesday morning at the National Cathedral, where all of the nearly 58,000 names on The Wall were read by volunteers around the clock, day and night, through midnight Friday. Wheeler suggested that it should be a landscaped solution: a peaceful, park-like setting that could exist harmoniously with the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Lin became a design consultant to the architect of record. Building a memorial to honor Vietnam veterans was not popular during this time; the country was still involved in an increasingly unpopular war in Vietnam. “The Memorial had several purposes,” he explained. Cupp had experienced firsthand the pains caused by the war. Get facts on Vietnam veterans with our Vietnam Veterans Memorial Infographic. Everything has to be thought out and in place before the launch button is pressed.”. David’s mother, Jeanne Westphall, suggested that the money from David’s life insurance policies be used to create the “Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel.” She and David’s father, Dr. Victor Westphall dedicated the rest of their lives to seeing this vision become a reality. Phase II improvements for renovation of the Visitor Center were completed in 2010. All Rights Reserved. By early 1982, VVMF asked Warner to bring together both sides for a closed-door session to hammer out the issues. THE FOUNDATION BOARD AMBUSH OF 5-22-68 To learn about us and how you can help maintain this site. He had spent three months recovering in a hospital before being sent back to fight with rocket-propelled grenade fragments permanently embedded in his body. A memorial made perfect sense to him. More than 150,000 veterans, families, loved ones and friends made plans to attend. Millionaire H. Ross Perot made a sizeable donation. She is still remembered fondly by veterans for the moving Memorial she designed for them. It serves as a tribute to all Texans who served in the Vietnam War and a memorial to the 3,417 who died. On April 30, 1980, the Senate approved legislation authorizing the Memorial, followed by approval in the House on May 20, 1980. Wheeler had the idea to bypass the traditional site selection route and have Congress pass legislation to award a specific area for a memorial site. It seemed unconscionable that he–or anyone else–should be allowed to forget. They really worked well together and were the driving force. Healing meant many things to many people. “I had calculated that it was possible to see all of them in a minimum of 3 1/2 hours. Jerry Lembcke, The Spitting Image: Myth, Memory and the Legacy of Vietnam, New York University Press, New York, 1998. Although differences in the two bills required a Conference Committee to meet, on July 1, at a White House Rose Garden ceremony, President Jimmy Carter signed legislation providing two acres for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall. Because he possessed great knowledge of history, he understood the extensive healing process required after war. An ad hoc group of veterans had scheduled a meeting to try to use Vietnam Veterans Week to generate publicity for veterans’ need, and Scruggs thought that would be a good time to announce his plans. Wheeler recruited others to help, starting with a group of professional men, all Vietnam or Vietnam-era veterans: George “Sandy” Mayo, Arthur Mosley, John Morrison, Paul Haaga, Bill Marr, John Woods and certified public accountant Bob Frank, who agreed to become VVMF’s treasurer. Starting in 1955, the war went on until 1975, making it the second-longest war, aside from the ongoing Afghanistan … Their motto is: “Honor the dead by serving the living.” Volunteering to assist VVMF was an ideal opportunity for Cupp to do just that. They felt it was a slap in the face to those who had served because it did not contain traditional symbols honoring service, courage, and sacrifice. End-to-end, the total number of submissions would have stretched one and one third linear miles. ‘I remind all of you of Martin Luther King Jr., who fought for justice for all Americans. The Vietnam Women’s Memorial statue was unveiled on Veterans Day of 1993. They were also the most collegial people, who would deliberate intensely but never argue or posture,” Spreiregen remembered. Mathias and Warner continually stressed that their objective was to provide the country with a symbol for reconciliation. Ultimately, the VVMF Board agreed on a jury of the most experienced and prestigious artists and designers that could be found, since it took a mature eye to envision from two-dimensional renderings how a design would look when built. He cited the growing coalition was a prime example of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” These people, though a small group, were able to reach out to their networks and their extensive contacts to recruit the type of expertise and support required for such a mammoth initiative. The priorities were to launch fund raising and achieve passage of the authorizing legislation. We had to constantly find the most effective next step to take and be sure not to get waylaid by tangents.”  The group started to hold regular planning meetings. And Congress had declared a “Vietnam Veterans Week” for that April to honor those who had returned home. The first cut was further reduced to 90 by midday Wednesday. 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