Early on an April morning a truck carrying a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Memorial) Wall, “The Wall That Heals” (Wall), arrived at Johnson Park in the City of Gardena. Along with the formal escort arranged by the City of Gardena, an unofficial escort of veterans rode motorcycles behind the caravan.

Among the riders was U.S. Army 39th Engineer Battalion veteran, Bruce Clancy. For Clancy, the ride is very personal, he shares that his group, Alpha Company, was scheduled for deployment to Saigon, now known as Ho Chin Minh City, in 1975 to assist with the evacuation of U.S. citizens and South Vietnamese citizens that would be in danger if they fell into the hands of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) prior to the city falling in the hands of the NVA. However, Clancy states that the NVA escalated their march and arrived in the city before his group could be deployed. Clancy stresses he never served in Vietnam, but several fellow Battalion members lost their lives, and for Clancy, participating in the escort and visiting the Wall allows him to pay tribute to these men.

Clancy has participated in three unofficial veteran motorcycle escorts of the Wall. He shares that unlike the reception the Vietnam veterans received coming home following their deployment, crowds of cheering spectators line the streets to greet riders. He finds that visiting the Wall provides a sense of peace.

The Wall is a three-quarter scale replica of the Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet at its highest point. Approximately, 58,000 names of the fallen and missing service men and women are machine engraved on 140 synthetic granite panels supported on an aluminum frame.

In addition to the Wall, the exhibit includes photos of service members, “Hometown Heroes” who listed their home of record from the local area. “In Memory Honor Roll” is a digital display of photographs of the veteran men and women from the host state that later returned home and later died. The plaque reads, “In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.” Also, Also, the “Items Left Behind’ is a display of items visitors have left at the Memorial in Washington, D.C. Lastly the “In Memory” is a replica plaque of the one found on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site which is placed in front of the Memorial.

Former U.S. Air Force Sgt. David Blessman for the past 16 years has served as a volunteer docent at various Wall exhibits across the U.S. He and his travel partner, former medic and U.S. Army Sgt. Jerry “Doc” Spulecki, found that many of the community volunteers at the events had little knowledge of the Memorial or service in Vietnam. This motivated them to carefully research information about the Memorial and other aspects of the Vietnam War to share with visitors to the Wall. Blessman shares that prior to the arrival of Wall, they will contact the sponsoring group to outline their purpose and gain permission to attend the event.

In 1975, and for many years following the return of our troops, a monument to the men and women who served in Vietnam was almost inconceivable. The U.S. began its involvement in Vietnam in 1959 and, as the U.S. involvement continued during the 1960’s, the support for the war and for our service men and women who were deployed to Vietnam grew weaker. Anti-war protests grew in numbers each year as the number of wounded, killed in action or missing in action grew. Many of the Vietnam veterans recall that returning home following their deployment was filled with mixed emotions. They were certainly happy to return home, but found that they were met with jeers, vulgarities, or other personal attacks. Many felt they could not wear their uniforms in public.

Doc and Blessman were at the event in the City of Gardena to answer visitor questions, assist with finding names on the Wall, and share information about the Vietnam War. Doc and Blessman appear at the Wall exhibits across the country and cover their own travel expenses.

One former U.S. Army enlistee, Jan Scruggs, did not want the sacrifices of these men and women to fade from the memory of our nation or from the memories of future generations. As a graduate student, Scruggs studied the social and psychological consequences that serving in Vietnam had on veterans. Scruggs discovered that Vietnam veterans had lower self-esteem, had difficulty trusting people, and felt alienated from national leaders. For those veterans, whose units experienced high casualty rates found themselves experiencing higher divorce rates and had a higher number of combat related dreams. Scruggs was able to take his research results to Congress and testified before the U.S. Senate for the passage of the Health Care Amendments Act of 1977. With the passage of this legislation veterans had more opportunities to find the care they deserved and desperately needed.

Scruggs thought, “If all the names could be in one place, these names would have great power, a power to heal. 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.”

U.S. Army veteran Melvin Higashi, member of the 1st Calvary Division, and his wife, Janice, with the assistance of Doc find the names of Higashi’s former unit members that were killed in action. Higashi indicates that one of the names is a fellow medic.

Scruggs found some who thought the idea of a memorial would detract from providing services to veterans who needed more mental and physical health services. Luckily, he did find support from other Vietnam veterans.

During his search, Scruggs found an ally in a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer and attorney, Robert Doubek. Doubek noted that there were few Vietnam veterans among his circle of young professionals. But, he thought, “It seemed unfair and inappropriate that there should be no recognition (for those who lost their lives or remained missing in action in the Vietnam War).”

*Higashi locates his former friend and fellow medic among the names listed on the Wall.*

In April 1979, Scruggs and Doubek formed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), a nonprofit corporation in order to acquire funding to build a memorial. They started with regular meetings with a graduate of West Point and Havard Business School, John P. Wheeler. They sought the assistance of Bob Frank, a certified public accountant, to serve as treasurer. Other members of their committee included a cadre of Vietnam-era veterans including George Mayo, Arthur Mosley, John Morrison, Paul Haaga, Bill Marr, and John Woods. Later on, Haaga’s wife, Heather, assisted with fundraising, and William Jayne, a wounded Vietnam veteran, was placed in charge of public relations.

The group agreed that the memorial should be devoid of any personal or political views about the war. Although they had not secured funding, land, or developed a design for the Memorial, they established a 36 month timeline, Veterans’ Day in 1982, as the dedication date for the memorial.

Matthew Silver, U.S. Navy veteran, served on the USS Princeton for four cruises in the waters off Vietnam. The Princeton was a landing platform for U.S. Marine helicopters. Silver shares that because of its capabilities, by his second cruise, the second deck of the ship was modified to become a hospital deck. Silver shares that he was among the Vietnam veterans who marched on Washington, D.C. protesting the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Silver admits that he receives treatment from the Veterans’ Administration (VA) as a result of his service in Vietnam. He states that over the years, VA services have improved.

Knowing that the memorial would take an Act of Congress, Scruggs called upon one of the senators from his home state of Maryland who was a World War II veteran and U.S. Senator, Charles “Mac” Mathias, to aid the group in their endeavor. Senator Mathias was opposed to the Vietnam War, however, he respected the service and the sacrifices of the men and women who served during such a trying time. Senator Mathias felt the project would go a long way to heeling the wounds of our nation as well as those who served in Vietnam.

Scruggs and Doubek conceded that no public funds would be spent on the construction of the Memorial, but needed federal assistance with acquiring the land for the Memorial. They realized fostering the support from Congress and other government agencies would be an important aspect of acquiring the location. Wheeler felt that having Congress award a specific location for the memorial was far more favorable than the traditional site selection process. Senator Mathias thought the National Mall would be an appropriate location, since during the Vietnam War, it was used to stage several anti-war protest activities.

To gain additional support, Scruggs reached out to the U.S. Senator John Warner from Viriginia. Senators Mathias and Warner previously worked together on other issues. But more importantly, Senator Warner served as the Secretary of the Navy during the Vietnam War and was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Senator Warner was so impressed with Scruggs, Doubek, and Wheeler that he volunteered to assist with organizing initial fundraising activities that would precede their major fundraising campaign.

U.S. Army veteran, Steve Mandel, served with 92nd Assault Helicopters from March 1968 to March 1969. He served as crew chief for one of the helicopters and during missions he was a door gunner. Mandel shares that during time in Vietnam, his group lost 12 fellow servicemen.

On November 8, 1979, the VVMF held a joint news conference with Senators Mathias and Warner and others to announce the introduction of legislation to grant two acres of land near the Lincoln Memorial for the Vietnam Veteran Memorial.

Senator Warren kicked off the VVMF’s initial fundraiser at a pre-Christmas breakfast held at his home in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C. The audience included a select group of individuals, including members of the defense industry. At the time, Senator Warren was married to Hollywood legend and heartthrob, Elizabeth Taylor, who aided in the fundraising effort.

*During his visit to the Wall, Mandel searched the panels for the names of fellow unit members whose names appear on the Wall.*

Scruggs later shared that Taylor emerged from the kitchen wearing a dressing gown and made up like she was ready for her next close-up. Scruggs admits, “I think I even spilled my coffee. I hear that those present agreed to double their contributions after Taylor completed her remarks.”

With the initial funding secured, the VVMF created a National Sponsoring Committee with then current first lady, Rosalynn Carter, former President Gerald R. Ford, U.S. Army General William Westmoreland, U.S. Navy Admiral James J. Stockdale, future first lady, Nancy Reagan, comedian and longtime supporter of our men and women in uniform, Bob Hope, and Vietnam veteran and author, James Webb.

*Like the Memorial in Washington, D.C., various keepsakes and messages are left near the names of loved ones and friends of these fallen or missing service men.*

Hope signed the first fundraising letter which acknowledged that regardless of your opinion about the Vietnam War, everyone should care about honoring the men and women who lost their lives during their service. Among the responses was a sizable donation from business tycoon, philanthropist, and future presential candidate, Ross Perot. Just as importantly, donations came from across the country in support of the fallen service members and the project.

As the fundraising efforts continued, Senators Mathias and Warner continued gathering support from their colleagues in the House and Senate to secure the land for the Memorial. By July 1, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the legislation designating two acres of land on the National Mall as the site for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

With the location for the Memorial approved, the VVMF turned their energies to design of the Memorial. Wheeler suggested that it be a “peaceful, park-like setting” that could co-exist with the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. Rather than seeking designs from professional firms, they decided to open a design competition to all U.S. citizens 18 years of age or older.

Paul Spreiregen, an architect and former Director of Urban Design Programs for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) along with Arthur Mosley, who headed the site selection task group, and John Woods, a structural engineer were chosen by the VVMF to develop the rules and procedures for the competition. The winner of the competition would be chosen by a jury consisting of landscape architects and sculptors.

By the time the deadline arrived, there were 1,421 submissions. The jury evaluated the designs over a five day period. At the time of the judging, the names of the designers were removed from view of the judges. With each review, the field of possible winners was narrowed. Eventually, the final selection field was reduced to 39 submissions. Within the allotted five day period, the judges found one design that stood above the others that would serve as an appropriate monument to the men and women who gave their lives in the service of our nation.

The design was produced by Maya Ying Lin, a 21 year old undergraduate student from Yale University, was selected as the winning design. The minimalist design did not stand above the landscape, but fit within the landscape. The Memorial is comprised of 70 panels stretching over 200 feet in length in a chevron design. Approximately 58,000 names of the men and women killed in action or are missing in action between 1959 through 1975 are sandblast onto the high gloss panels of black granite quarried in India that reflect the landscape adjacent to the Memorial.

Maya Ying Lin holds the model of her winning design. Lin states, “What the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial had to be about was honesty, about dealing up front with individual loss. Any returning veteran would be able to find their time of service, sharing their memories of those friends they had lost with others who were also there at the time – symbolically and psychologically becoming a part of the Memorial’s timeline.
*Photo courtesy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund*

In order to be listed on the Memorial a service member died within the defined combat zone of Vietnam or died while on a combat or combat support mission to/from the defined combat zone of Vietnam. The names of the service members killed in action or presumed dead have a small diamond shape “◊” next to their name, those service personal missing in action have a small cross “+” next to their names, and a diamond enclosing a cross symbolize that the individual was presumed missing when the Memorial was dedicated, but was later determined to be killed in action.

The names on the Memorial are listed in chronological order by their dates of casualty beginning on the right center panel with the names from 1959 and continue to the right until they reach the extreme right panel. The names continue on the far left panel and end with the last fallen service members listed on the left center panel adjacent to the beginning panel. By listing the names in this fashion, the Memorial demonstrates that the War was a series of individual human sacrifices, giving each name a place in history.

The VVMF believes that those who served in Vietnam and later died of their exposure to the herbicide, Agent Orange, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), or other illness as a result of their service should be honored and remembered. For that reason, the “In Memory Honor Roll” was created and placed a plaque in front of the Memorial honoring these men and women. Family members and friends can nominate a Vietnam veteran to be included in the list of honorees. Since its inception, over 6,000 Vietnam veterans have been honored. An annual induction ceremony is held for nominees from the prior year.

Upon revealing the minimalist design some supporters objected to its selection. Among the objections, some argued that it did not appropriately honor the fallen service members, because they felt that black walls portrayed “the universal color of shame and sorrow and degradation.” Others objected to the winner of the contest being of Asian descent.

Key supporters and critics met to determine if common ground could be achieved. After patiently listening the variety of complaints about the design, including the choice of the black stone, General George Price, one of America’s highest ranking black officers stated, “I am sick and tired of calling black a color of shame. I remind all of you of Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for justice for all Americans. Black is not a color of shame. Color meant nothing on the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam. We are all equal in combat. Color should mean nothing now.”

The group came to consensus after retired General Mike Davison suggested adding the figure of a soldier in front of the Memorial. This later became the “The Three Servicemen” statue that was unveiled on Veterans’ Day in 1984. The statue features a trio of soldiers representing the diversity of soldiers from a variety of ethnic backgrounds who served in Vietnam.

*The three soldiers, a Hispanic, a Caucasian, and an African American, represent the ethnic diversity of the men and women who served in Vietnam.*

“The Vietnam Women’s Memorial” statue was inspired by former U.S. Army nurse, Diane Carlson Evans and unveiled on Veterans’ in 1993. Artist Glenna Goodacre created the statue depicting “a moment in crisis” to portray the range of emotions women faced in carrying out their duties.

For more information on Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and the Wall Replica visit, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at www.vvmf.org.

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Steve Tabor

This South Bay native’s photographic journey began after receiving his first 35 mm film camera upon earning his Bachelor of Arts degree. As a classroom teacher he used photography to share the world and his experiences with his students. Steve began his photography career photographing coastal landscapes and marine life. His experiences have led him to include portraits and group photography, special event photography as well as live performance and athletics in his portfolio. As a contributor and photojournalist, he has published stories about the people, places and events in and around the Palos Verdes Peninsula and beyond.

Interested in seeing more of Steve’s work, visit website at: www.stevetaborimages.com