Mecklenburg County Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Charlotte

The memorial is a 270-foot long wall, made of 187 granite panels, that starts at ground level and gently rises to a height of seven feet following the slope of the land. The wall, in the form of an arch with inclined sides, is placed among huge oak trees, landscaping and benches. Thirty-eight of the panels have inscriptions that include a timeline of the Vietnam War from 1959 to 1975. Moving from left to right one sees the historical narrative of the war along with the US president serving at the time, a map of Southeast Asia, and excerpts of poems written by a local Vietnam veteran. The names of 105 Mecklenburg County servicemen who died in Vietnam are listed on panels dated from 1965 to 1972, in order of date of death. The memorial wall and American flag are illuminated at night.