Virginia War Memorial seeks personal photos of Virginia Vietnam War Veterans taken during their service during the war

The Virginia War Memorial is seeking personal photographs of Virginia Vietnam War veterans taken during their service in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. The photos will be reviewed by the Memorial staff and may be used for the upcoming exhibit entitled, 50 Years Beyond: The Vietnam War Experience.

“We plan to feature photos of fifty Vietnam veterans from Virginia in the exhibit which will open January 27, 2023 to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords which officially ended the Vietnam War,” said Dr. Clay Mountcastle, Director of the Virginia War Memorial. “These photos will be used alongside professional photo portraits of the selected veterans taken today.”

The Virginia War Memorial is collaborating with award-winning photographer and US Navy veteran Laura Hatcher to take the contemporary photos of the Vietnam veterans selected.

The Memorial staff is currently collecting “in-country” photos from the Vietnam War, personal correspondence, mementos and oral histories of veterans who served.  Virginia Vietnam veterans should submit digital photos in jpg, tiff or PDF formats to the Virginia War Memorial by April 30, 2022 for consideration to be included in the upcoming exhibit.

“We greatly appreciate the assistance of Vietnam veterans and their families in this project. Please be assured that the Virginia War Memorial will not reproduce, publish or copy any photos submitted during the selection phase for the exhibit,” Dr. Mountcastle added.  “Once fifty veterans are selected, the Memorial will secure written permission from the veteran submitting the photo for use.”

To submit photos and other materials, please go to vawarmemorial.org/50yearsbeyond

Photos and materials may also be submitted by mail to:

Fifty Years Beyond: The Vietnam War Experience
c/o The Virginia War Memorial
621 South Belvedere Street
Richmond, VA 23220

For more information about this project, please email exhibits@vawarmemorial.org or call 804.786.2060.

About the Virginia War Memorial

The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth and Inspire Patriotism in All.  Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the Global War on Terrorism.  The Virginia War Memorial is and will always be the Commonwealth’s tribute to those who served and most especially, to those who died defending our freedoms.

The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military.  It is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220 and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 4 p.m.  Admission is free, except for select events.  For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.

About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia.  DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans.  Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The agency operates two long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; and provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.