Good morning! I mentioned yesterday that you could visit Washington DC and spend an entire holiday on the Mall. Today I want to share a special place that always moves me to tears, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The memorial is actually comprised of three separate parts. The reason being that “The Wall” was so controversial in its design that it was decided something more traditional was needed for this area.
The first memorial is, The Three Servicemen by Frederick Hart, the second, The Wall, designed by Maya Lin, and the third, The Vietnam Women’s Memorial by Glenna Goodacre.
As you approach the wall there are wood lecterns that have lists of each of the names inscribed on the wall. They are easy to use and allow you to find the exact spot of the wall where your friend or loved one is located.
The Wall itself is made of two gabbro walls, consisting of 72 panels each. These panels are inscribed with the names of 58, 272 soldiers, including 8 women.
The Wall is made from stone from India and was chosen specifically for it’s reflective quality. The idea being that as you stood looking at the names you would be reflected in the surface, allowing the past and the present to come together.
Three million people visit the Wall each year. The visitors come from all over the globe to look, pray, visit their loved ones and perhaps even leave a small memento, a letter, cup of coffee, or a photo.
In fact, at the end of each day the National Parks service collects all of the items left at the Wall. Some of the items are currently on display in the Smithsonian Museum, and the others are catalogued and stored.
Instead of droning on I will leave you to take in the photos.
Have you visited The Wall? What did you think of it? I personally think it is a wonderful tribute to the brave men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we may be free.
I hope you have enjoyed my photos and adventures in Washington D.C. I will be back tomorrow with a few more photos and stories.
Enjoy your day!
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Life Lately…January
Good morning my friend! We had been to DC so many times but this is one monument I never saw. I probably would have wept uncontrollably if I did….
We've been to the wall many times and it is a wonderful tribute. The picture of the young man above really touched me.
XXX
Debra~
The wall is the one monument we missed when we were there in 2006. Our feet were sore and we were crabby so we missed out on seeing it.
Marilyn
Very, very haunting. I didn't know about the other aspects to the memorial, just the wall itself.