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How to Find a Name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (the Wall)

Updated: December 17, 2023

This post is a guide to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, known popularly as "The Vietnam Wall", with tips on how to find particular names. 

Visiting the Vietnam Wall with tour groups is a special honor for me. My Uncle Jim served in Vietnam and would later die to illness he received while fighting. For this reason, his name is not eligible to be listed on the wall (though there is a plaque I talk about below).

I share his story and the story of other men and women listed on the wall every time I lead our National Mall tour.

Something I find particular meaningful is to find the name and story of someone on the wall who is from the same home town as my tour group. I use the process below to find that.


HOW ARE THE NAMES LISTED?

The names are not listed alphabetically, but rather in chronological order by date of death or by date of missing in action, beginning and ending in the center where the two walls meet.

Although the memorial black granite walls are shaped like wings, it read like a circle with the name of the first official American casualty at the top of the east panel, beneath the date 1959.

The names then continue down that east wing, make an invisible circle around, beginning again at the far end of the west wing, and concluding at the center with the date 1975.  

If there were more than one casualty on a particular day, those names are listed alphabetically.  

Each panel is labeled at the bottom with a number from 1 to 70 and either an E or W.

The number signifies the panel number (1 being in the center, 70 at the end) and E or W refers to east or west (east is nearest the Lincoln Memorial, west is nearer the Washington Monument).

There are small dots placed at the edge of every tenth line, which makes it easier to locate a specific line.

For example, if you were looking for a name on line 64, you'd start at the top of the panel, count down 6 dots, and that name will be located just 4 lines below the 6th dot.


Ways to find a name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall:

  • Download "The Wall," an extremely useful app created by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to help visitors locate names. However, please be aware that names need to be typed in without error (including proper capitalization) or else it will not come up in searches.
  • Find the location of a name online. TheWall-USA is a great source, as well as View The Wall.
  • Use the books on either end of the memorial walls. Names in the books are listed alphabetically and provide details of that person's place of birth and branch of service, as well as which wall, panel, and row that they are located on, making it easy to find a name.
  • Ask a National Park Service Ranger! If you don't see a ranger at the Wall, then walk over to the Ranger Stand and inquire about locating a name - they're always more than happy to help!

Additionally, please note that, though the memorial is open after dark and is illuminated, it is not as well lit as many of the other memorials and a name may be more difficult to find.


HOW TO TAKE A RUBBING OF A NAME

Many who visit leave with a rubbing of a beloved's name.

The tradition involves placing a sheet of paper over the recessed lettering and using the side of a pencil or piece of charcoal to create the rubbing.  

Vietnam Wall Rubbing

Oftentimes the National Park Rangers can provide both materials, though it is wise to keep a standard lead pencil on hand in case there are none available.

If the name is out of reach, the Park Rangers and volunteers can use a ladder to climb up and take the rubbing for you.


VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL DESIGN

HISTORY OF THE MEMORIAL

If you have the time, we strongly urge you to watch the video above. If not, here is a very brief history of the memorial.  

In 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund was established. Jan Scruggs, a wounded veteran himself, was the voice behind its creation.

After $8.4 million was raised through private donations, Congress commissioned for the memorial to be built at a site near the Lincoln Memorial.

Vietnam Memorial Wall names

A nationwide contest was held to select the memorial's design. Over 1,400 people submitted proposals, but one was unanimously selected.

The winning design was done by a young woman named Maya Lin, a 21-year-old student at Yale University.

Lin originally created the design as a final project for a class on funeral design architecture and received a B- on the work.

Ground broke on the memorial in March of 1982 and it was dedicated in November of that same year, becoming the first national veterans memorial in the U.S. 

Though well-received by many, the Wall was also heavily criticized.

The post-modern structure differed greatly from the classic designs of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.

Maya Lin choice as the designer was also personally criticized for her ethnicity as a Chinese-American.


MEMORIAL DESIGN

The memorial differed from the other classical structures in the capital in many ways.

The black granite was chosen due to its reflective nature. As you walk down into the memorial you'll see yourself amongst the names and feel a connection to those lost.

The chevron shape of the memorial lines up in a way that one arm points to the Washington Monument and the other to the Lincoln Memorial, with names rising up around you as you walk through.

Just as the Vietnam War had divided the country, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial garnered many outspoken opinions of both praise and antipathy.

In an effort of compromise, a sculpture was placed next to the memorial. The bronze statue is referred to as the 'Three Servicemen Statue", it depicts three infantrymen gazing toward the Wall.

Three Servicemen Statue Vietnam Veterans Memorial

This statue was decided in 1984, two years after the original dedication. it is located near the west end of the Wall by the flagpole.

Another statue, the Vietnam Women's Memorial (sometimes called the Nurses' Memorial), was added in 1993.

It is located at the east end of the memorial.

Vietnam Veterans Women's Memorial

It depicts three women: one holding a wounded soldier, one kneeling with his helmet, and another standing as if she is looking for a rescue helicopter. 

Today, the Wall stands as a highly respected icon of American sacrifice that is visited by millions each year.

Since the names on the Wall are for those who were killed or missing in action, or who later died from their injuries that were a result of their service - veterans, like my Uncle Jim, who died due to illness are not eligible to have their name added.

Near the Three Serviceman statue, is a small roped off plaque to honor those servicemen who died due to exposure to Agent Orange or other chemicals.


ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

Throughout the years, tens of thousands of mementos have been left at the Vietnam Wall.

Items range from smaller keepsakes such as letters, photos, and dog tags, all the way to a brand new custom made Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Image from History.net

It is believed that tradition started when the brother of a veteran killed in Vietnam left his Purple Heart, which had been awarded to his brother posthumously, in the wet cement of the Wall.

National Park Service Rangers collect all of the nonperishable items at the end of every night and have been keeping them over the years.

Today, they are all stored in a large warehouse in Maryland. Some are on display in the "America at War" section of the Smithsonian American History Museum.

Jan Scruggs, the man who initially envisioned there being a Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is now part of a team that is trying to establish a museum near the Wall to showcase the many items that have been left.


TOURS AND RANGER TALKS

There is no shortage of private companies that offer tours that include the WWII Memorial, including us, DC by Foot.  

The memorial is a stop on 2 of our most popular walking tours. 

  • National Mall Tour
  • National Mall and Tidal Basin Tour

Browse our live schedule.

The memorial is also a part of our anytime GPS-led audio tour of the National Mall. 

There are also several sightseeing bus tours, bike tours, and Segway tours that offer guided walks as part of their tours, including walks of the memorial.


Ranger Talks 

Park Rangers, as well as volunteers, provide daily “interpretive programs” on the hour every hour from 10 a.m. until 11 p.m.  

The enjoyment factor depends greatly on who is giving the tour, as some Rangers seem more interested than others, but they are usually all very informative.  

We have included a video of one of the best, Allen McCabe. These talks are free.

App - The Park Service also offers a visitor’s app for the National Mall for both Android and iPhone.

Traveling Wall - Can't make it to Washington, DC? There is a traveling wall that is a 3/5 sized replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Check the Traveling Wall website to see if it's coming to a city near you.


PLAN YOUR VISIT

Controversial and received mixed reviews at its dedication in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has since become one of the country's most visited and well-respected memorials. 

The memorial features the names of more than 58,000 Americans who sacrificed their lives in service to their country.  

The memorial is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year unless inclement weather prevents it.

The Vietnam Wall is not meant to be viewed at night but it is open and has some lighting. It is not well lit which takes away from the design of the memorial.

However, if the evening is the only time you have to visit, it is worth a visit and is safe at night.


How to Get Here

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located on the northwest side of the National Mall.

It sits in between the WWII Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial and just across the street from the National Academy of Sciences and the Albert Einstein Memorial.  
 

Where is the Vietnam Wall

The memorial is a stop on our daily National Mall Tour as well as our National Mall and Tidal Basin Tour, so let us take you there.

If you are considering a hop-on-hop-off bus ticket while in DC, then note that all companies stop at this memorial as well as other types of bus tours.  


Closest Metro Station

The closest Metro station to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is Foggy Bottom (Blue-Orange-Silver).

It’s about a 15 to 20-minute walk (directions) from the Metro station to the memorial.  

Foggy Bottom Metro to Vietnam Veterans Memorial

There is only one exit at Foggy Bottom which lets you out on 23rd Street.

When you exit the Metro station, make an immediate right turn onto 23rd Street, and follow that down until you reach Constitution Avenue and the Lincoln Memorial is directly in front of you.  

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be to your left, but you won't immediately notice it until you are approaching it.

If Metro’s Red Line is most convenient for you, you could exit at Farragut North Metro Station. From there, it’s about a 25-min walk to the memorial.

Take the K St. exit and walk south on 17th Street until you reach Constitution Ave. Make a right turn and the memorial is a 5-minute walk on your left. 


DC Circulator Bus

Alternatively, you could take the DC Circulator Bus, which has a National Mall route. The Circulator is now free and makes stops at various memorials and monuments.

However, the bus doesn't have a stop at the WW2 Memorial.

You would need to get off at either the Washington Monument or the MLK Memorial stops. Both stops require just a 5-minute walk.


Parking

There is very limited street parking nearby. Free parking can be found all along Ohio Drive (green lines), just to the south of the Lincoln Memorial.  

Just be patient, as visitors are coming and going frequently, so you will eventually get a spot there.

You can also pay for a space in a garage ahead of time through a service called SpotHero.


Nearby Attractions

Due to its central location on the National Mall, the World War 2 Memorial is nearby several other popular attractions.

Be sure to read our guide to all memorials and monuments in Washington, DC.


 
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About The Author

Canden Arciniega

Follow On Instagram | I'm a historian & tour guide in Washington DC with 4 published books about the city. I have written for HuffPost Travel and have been featured in the Washington Post, WTOP, and numerous other DC papers. I've also been interviewed by the BBC, NPR, Travel Channel and Discovery Family Channel. I am the producer of the podcast, Tour Guide Tell All. I am an authority on D.C. history, and have led tours in the city since 2011. I currently resides in DC, but have also lived in London and South Korea, and have traveled to over 28 countries and every US State but Hawaii. I homeschool my 2 children by exploring the plethora of museums in DC. Read More...
Updated: December 17th, 2023
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