A Brief History
On November 11, 1993, a sculpture honoring the women that served in the Vietnam War was dedicated at the site of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.. The 2 acre site of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was established in 1982, and consists of “The Wall,” “The Three Soldiers,” and since 1993, the “Vietnam Women’s Memorial.”
Digging Deeper
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial is a sculpture by Glenna Goodacre (nee Maxey), of Lubbock, Texas. She is a graduate of Colorado and has lived in New Mexico since 1983. (She is now 78 years old.) The sculpture consists of three women tending to a wounded soldier. Another well known work by Goodacre is the obverse side of the Sacagawea dollar coin of the year 2000.
About 11,000 (90% estimated to be nurses) American women served in Vietnam during the American involvement in the War, with 8 of their names memorialized on “The Wall” memorial to those Americans killed in the War. All 8 of those listed worked as military nurses.
Today the War on Terror is being fought in part directly by American women in combat roles, but this does not in any way diminish the incredible contribution to the war effort during Vietnam by American women. Just ask any veteran of the Vietnam War!
Question for students (and subscribers): Have any women in your family ever served in the military? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Various, dir. Unsung Heroes: The Story of America’s Female Patriots. Mill Creek Ent, 2014. DVD.
