Ceremony honoring 30th anniversary commemoration of Vietnam Memorial held at Milwaukee’s Veterans Park

Milwaukee County leaders, Vietnam veterans and their families, and members of the public gathered in Veterans Park on Lake Michigan on October 23 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the Southeast Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The ceremony was organized by Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans (WVV) Chapter One, who was also the driving force behind the construction of the monument 30 years ago. The site has since become a sacred focal point in Veterans Park.

The tribute includes a flyover of two Truax Rield F-16s in Madison and a static demonstration of a UH 60 Blackhawk helicopter. Speakers included Milwaukee County Executive Crowley, War Memorial Center CEO and President Dan Buttery, Medal of Honor recipient Gary G. Wetzel, and Vietnam veteran George Banda.

The Milwaukee Lakefront Southeast Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Memorial was originally dedicated on October 20, 1991. It was the first memorial to be erected in Milwaukee County’s 94-acre Veterans Park. Since its installation, it has stood as a tribute to all the men and women who took part in the Vietnam War.

The unique design consists of three Wausau Red Granite columns that are 22, 26 and 9 meters high. They represent the fallen (KIA), prisoners of war (POW), missing persons (MIA) and everyone who has returned home.

The five granite benches behind the pillars symbolize the five branches of the military: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy. The eleven granite pillars surrounding the monument mark each officially recognized year of the Vietnam War, 1964 to 1975. The inner circle of bricks is reserved for the names of those who served in the Vietnam War. The outer circle is for veterans of other wars and conflicts, or anyone who wants to show their respect and support.