Each Name Is Preceded (On the West Wall) Or Followed (On the East Wall) by a Symbol Designating

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial: “The Wall”

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam Conflict. Inscribed on the black granite walls are the names of more than 58,000 men and women who gave their lives or remain missing. Yet the Memorial itself is dedicated to honor the "courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty and country" of all who answered the call to serve during the longest conflict in U.S. history. Each name is preceded (on the West Wall) or followed (on the East Wall) by a symbol designating status.

The diamond symbol denotes that the service member's death was confirmed. The more than 1,800 men and women whose names are designated by the cross symbol were in missing or prisoner status at the end of the war and remain missing and unaccounted for. In the event a serviceperson's remains are returned or he or she is otherwise accounted for, the diamond symbol is superimposed over the cross. If a man or woman returns alive, a circle, as a symbol of life, will be inscribed around the cross. No such cases have occurred though some men and women have been found to be alive with their names on The Wall due to clerical errors.

You are to find the name of someone on “The Wall” that has special significance to you. This could be a family member you never met, someone from your community, or someone else you choose for a significant reason. Your job will be to find this person’s name on “The Wall” when you visit it in Washington, D.C.

To find a name on “The Wall” go to: http://thewall-usa.com/. If you want to find whose names are on “The Wall” from a particular town, type in the city and state. Copy the information and take it on the trip.

Name of Soldier: ______Why you chose this person

Branch of Service: ______

Birth Date: ______

Married/Single: ______

Start of Tour: ______

Casualty

Date: ______

Region: ______

Country: ______

Type: ______

Reason: ______

Location on Wall (W = West Wall / E = East Wall)

Panel: ______

Line: ______

You are also required to include a virtual wall rubbing of the person you chose in your scrapbook. To find and print a virtual wall rubbing go to: http://www.vietnamwall.org