The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) continues to seek assistance with the completion of its Education Center, the VVMF’s newest addition on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“The VVMF is on a mission to obtain photographs and back stories for all the servicemen and women who gave their lives in the Vietnam War as well as raise funds for the construction of the Education Center,” wrote spokeswoman Bianca Bahary. “The Center which is being built to honor and preserve the memory of those who fought in all wars from The Battle at Bunker Hill to Baghdad will exhibit these photos and back-stories along with many other items.”
The organization again is calling on the generous support of Americans to help raise the funds to build this facility.
The photos and stories will be displayed at The Education Center at The Wall in Washington, D.C. VVMF is also calling on the generous support of Americans to help raise the funds to build this facility.
Faces Never Forgotten / Call for Photos
In 2003, legislation passed that authorized the construction of the Educational Center at The Wall by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Plans for the exhibitions at the center include the display of pictures and stories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, some of the 400,000 items left at The Wall and a celebration of American service from Bunker Hill to Baghdad.
Out of the 58,286 men and women who did not return from the Vietnam War, there are still over 26,000 Vietnam veterans listed on The Wall who need corresponding photographs and stories. Vietnam veterans are dying at an alarmingly fast rate. Each day this nation loses about 390 Vietnam veterans due to illness and age. Their stories are in danger of being lost forever if we don’t take action now to ensure they become a part of our collective national memory. Tens of thousands gave their lives during the many years of conflict and their names are etched into the black granite. But as they are on the memorial, they are more than names and so we must do our part to remember them.
The call for photos is part of the Faces Never Forgotten campaign, encouraging friends and families of veterans, as well as every citizen, to ensure that the memories and stories of those inscribed on The Wall are never forgotten. VVMF hopes to give every service member the honor of being fully remembered as a person and not just a name.
“To complete the mission and begin construction of the Education Center, we will continue to depend on the dedication and generosity of those individuals, organizations and communities that make it their goal to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and contribute in their honor,” said Jan C. Scruggs, President and Founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The cost of construction for the Education Center is $115 million, of which $26.9 million has been raised to date. Like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Education Center at The Wall will be completely funded through private donations.
For more information, visit the website for The Education Center at the Wall.
