You Will Never Be Forgotten

Crumpler

A memorial is a commemorative object to remind people of a person or an event in which people died. Over the years, many memorials have been built but few are as emotionally inspiring as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial represents the men and women who are missing in action or died in support of their country during that conflict. When the war ended, the veterans of Vietnam wanted to construct a monument in honor of the men and women who paid the ultimate price for their country. A memorial to let their fallen brothers and sisters know their sacrifice will never be forgotten. With the help of Maya Lin, a 21 year old student from Yale, the names of these soldiers and nurses are immortalized on a wall in Washington D.C.

Maya Lin was an architecture major at Yale University when she entered a design in the competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Maya Lin’s design was chosen out of 1,421 entries by a board of sculptors and architects. Although the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is now one of the country’s most visited memorials, everyone did not accept Maya Lin’s design. At first, some of the Vietnam Veterans and politicians thought her design did not give proper respect to those it was being built for. Racial undertones and constant criticism hindered its construction, but Maya Lin was determined to build it as she had envisioned the memorial. Throughout this criticism, Maya Lin remained true to her vision and today is recognized for her contribution to veterans of Vietnam and to architecture.

A look into Maya Lin’s background reveals the origin of her artistic gifts. As a child, Maya Lin was surrounded by creative influences at home and at play. Maya Lin was born in Athens, Ohio where her parents were faculty members of Ohio University. Maya’s father, Henry Lin, was the dean of the art school and a ceramicist. Her mother, Julia Lin, was a professor of Asian and English literature. The University was her playground and so early on she became interested in learning. She had an aptitude for mathematics and her interest in math and art spurred her curiosity about architecture. Growing up in such an imaginative environment, it is only natural she possessed artistic abilities. (“Maya Lin”)

After graduating from high school, Maya Lin attended Yale University in Connecticut, majoring in architecture. Although she majored in architecture, she also had an affinity for sculpture. Advised by her counselor to focus her energy on one subject, Maya continued to pursue her interest in sculpture. It was believed that if a student was interested in two subjects, one would suffer. However, Maya could never choose. While majoring in architecture, she used to sneak over to the art school to take sculpture classes. Her interest in both fields would continually have a significant function in her work. (“Maya Lin”)

This is a preview of the whole essay

The idea for the erection of a memorial is credited to Jan Scruggs, who envisioned building a memorial for his fellow Vietnam Veterans but knew the government would not do it. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”) As a graduate student, Scruggs wrote an editorial for the Washington Post requesting a national monument to be constructed to “remind an ungrateful nation of what it has done to its sons.” Scruggs, along with other veterans, created the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to raise money for the design and construction of the memorial. The veterans wanted the memorial to be built on the “Mall” in Washington D.C. but required an act of Congress to do so. With the help of Senator Charles Mathias Jr. of Maryland, legislation was introduced for two acres of land between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument to be designated for the veteran’s memorial. (Howe) On July 1, 1980, President Carter signed the legislation. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”) It took approximately two years to complete the memorial, from the signing of the legislation to the dedication on 13 November 1982. (Howe)

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, headed by Vietnam Veteran Jan Scruggs, collaborated with the United States Fine Arts Commission. They announced a nationwide design contest for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The prerequisite for the design was that all 57,661 names of the dead or missing must be listed on the memorial. In the fall of 1980, Maya Lin was a 21-year-old undergraduate majoring in architecture at Yale University. She started a course dealing with funereal architecture and asked, “How does man deal with death through the built form?” A student from her class found a poster advertising a contest for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; Maya decided to submit a design of her own. Confident her design would not win she submitted her design nonetheless. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”)

Maya Lin’s design depicted a V-shaped 200 footwall that rests 10 feet below the normal grade of the land. The wall was made of polished black granite and the two arms of the V point toward the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. (“Maya Ying Lin”) All 57,661 names are engraved in chronological order, dated according to the day they were killed or reported missing. The names start in the center, down the east wall, up the west wall, and end in the center. The organization of the names represents time looping back on itself, symbolizing closure. Along with the design, Maya Lin wrote an essay to explain the significance of each part of her design. Soon after submitting her drawings and essay her design was chosen as the winner by a panel of judges. (Howe)

We must remember that the founders of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund who initiated the competition for the design of the memorial thought it would be a mistake for the panel of judges to be comprised of veterans. Robert Doubek, Vietnam Veteran and affiliate of the VVMF, stated, “Some people felt that we ourselves should constitute the jury; however, I know I didn’t know anything about art design and the people around me knew even less.” As a result, the panel of judges chosen consisted of two architects, two landscape architects, two sculptors, and a humanist.

The competition attracted many applicants; many were from well-established architects and architecture firms but only one stood out from the rest. Grady Clay, jury chairman, recalled eliminating 400 on the first day and as they dwindled down to the last 200 they would, as a group, inspect each entry. At first, Clay said he did not choose Maya as the winner but later said, “The longer I looked, the more I was convinced it was unquestionably the one.” Out of 1,421 contestants Maya’s design was chosen as the winner in the spring of 1981. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”)

Maya Lin knew her design had to symbolize the losses during the Vietnam War and be certain that she understood what this memorial was going to represent to the veterans. To get an idea of how the dead have been honored throughout history, Maya studied art from other cultures and different eras. Furthermore, she read the journals of World War I veterans. (“Maya Lin”) Along with her sketches, Maya wrote an essay to convey the significance of her design and what it represents:

The memorial is composed not as an unchanging monument, but as a moving composition to be understood as we move into and out of it. The passage itself is gradual, the descent to the origins low but it is at the origin that the meaning of this memorial is to be fully understood. At the intersection of these walls at the right side of the walls top is the carved date of the first death. It is followed by the names of those who have died in the war, in chronological order. It is up to each individual to resolve or to come to terms with this loss, for death is in the end a personal and private matter. In the area contained within this memorial is a quiet place meant for personal reflection and private reckoning.

Maya Lin knew what it meant to her and envisioned building a monument to help heal the psychological wounds of a nation that needed to mourn their losses. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”)

Upon Maya Lin being declared the winner of the competition by the Vietnam Veterans of the VVMF, a small group of veterans felt that her design did not appropriately honor the dead and missing. Tom Carhart, a speaker for the disgruntled veterans, said Maya’s design was a black scar, a sign of degradation and disgrace to those it was meant to honor. Newsletters were also published claiming that one of the members of the jury who chose Maya’s design was a communist trying to discredit the validity of the jury. These angry groups of veterans did whatever they could to ensure that Maya’s memorial was not built. Not only did these small group veterans attack the design, they criticized Maya Lin herself. Various comments were made in reference to her gender and race. Her gender was an issue but furthermore there were strong feelings of animosity because of her Asian heritage. The perpetual criticism and indecision further delayed the construction of the monument. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”)

The United States Fine Arts Commission as well as those in support and opposing convened to accommodate both sides’ requests. With the relentless clash of opinions, Secretary Watts made an alarming statement indicating that if a compromise could not be reached, then he would kill the project and there would be no memorial. It was proposed that an American Flag and a statue of three soldiers be added to the original design. Against the wishes of Maya Lin and other parties, the proposal was accepted. Since the flag and the statue would be placed at the entrance point of the western wall, the compromise was reached and both sides were contented without ruining the original design. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”)

In the course of controversy, Maya Lin struggled to preserve her design; consequently, her memorial to the Vietnam Veterans became one of the most visited monuments in the country. For example, in mid November 1982 more than 150, 000 veterans amassed in Washington for a five-day tribute to their fallen comrades. A parade was held in honor of the Vietnam Veterans and all the names on the memorial wall were read aloud to commemorate those who were killed or missing defending our freedom. (Howe) By 1994, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial had received so much attention and so many visitors, restoration was in progress. Family and friends of the fallen emboss the names of their loved ones and leave behind flowers and other mementos. (“Maya Lin”) Jan Scruggs alleged, “Sometimes you have to build a work of architecture and have people visit it before they will understand it.” (Howe)

When the Vietnam Veterans Memorial made such an emotional and psychological impact, the VVMF felt they should expand their reach to the rest of the country. The VVMF created a half scale replica of the wall that travels around the country. It is known as the “Wall that Heals.” In addition to the replica, a website has been created known as the “Virtual Wall.” Veterans can search for names chiseled on the wall and read writings posted by other veterans. Robert Howe quotes Stanley Karnow, the author of Vietnam: A History, wrote on the website “The Wall was originally intended to commemorate the dead, and it has succeeded admirably. But it is currently transcending that function to become an instrument of goodwill.” Maya Lin’s monument has emerged as a personal experience for those who lived during the Vietnam War era. Not only can people remember those that have been lost but also reflect and heal their own scars from the war. (Howe)

Despite the continual controversy to stop the construction of her design, Maya Lin fabricated a monument far beyond anyone’s expectations. Maya Lin, as an architecture student, gained the attention of our nation with her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Most veterans saw her memorial for what it was, homage to the men and women of the Vietnam War. But a small majority of veterans, represented by Tom Carhart, believed Maya’s design was a “black scar” hidden below ground as if in shame. (“Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision”) An agreement was made to add a statue and a flag to Maya’s design to appease the divergent group. Upon completion of the memorial, it soon became one of the most embraced monuments in the world. Americans and visitors from all over the world can come and see this testament to the sacrifice and endurance of Americans. In an acceptance speech for her Ph.D in architecture, Maya Lin said that we as individuals remain on this earth for only a short time but it’s what we do that leaves a lasting impression. Without a doubt, Maya Lin and the names of those inscribed on the “Wall” will never be forgotten.