~ Vietnam Veterans Memorial ~

San Antonio's Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated Nov. 9, 1986.  The former commander of ground forces in Vietnam, retired Army Gen. William C. Westmoreland,  gave the keynote address at the event, stating that the memorial's unveiling represented a coming home for veterans. "Before, they were physically at home but didn't feel accepted -- now it's a reality," he said. The memorial depicts a radio operator comforting a wounded comrade while anxiously searching the sky for a medevac helicopter. The bronze sculpture stands about 10 feet tall at its highest point and is 23 feet long and 12 feet wide. With a weight of more than 10 tons, it is the largest sculpture of its kind in the country. The memorial is located in front of Municipal Auditorium, in a portion of the facility's parking lot that has been transformed into the Veterans Memorial Plaza. A monument to Korean War veterans was added later at the other end of the plaza. 

"Hill 881 South," as the memorial is officially called, was created by Scottsdale, Ariz., artist Austin Deuel who served as a Marine illustrator during the war. On April 30, 1967, the dramatic sight of radioman Donald Hassock helping an injured soldier inspired Deuel to draw the picture that 19 years later would become the model for San Antonio's memorial. 

  Inscribed on the front of the sculpture's base: 

"Permanently encased within the memorial is an air tight compartment that contains a complete list of the names, serial numbers, branches of the military and dates of service of the men and women from the San Antonio area who served in the Vietnam War. Over 60,000 fine young Americans from our community served in Vietnam. This memorial is a tribute to all of them." 

On the other side of the base is a poem titled "Death at My Door": 

Day is over and danger hastens 

Young Marines at their battle stations 

Instruments of war outline the sky

 Means of death are standing by 

Can it be true on this high hill 

Forces will clash only to kill? 

Silence fills the near moonless night 

Restless thoughts of a bloody fight 

Endless memories for those awake 

Meaningful discussions experience would make 

Though silent world in which we live 

Permit only God's comfort to give 

Somewhere through the darkness creeping 

A date with death is in the keeping 

Alone I sit and question why 

Life itself to be born to merely die? 

David Rogers 1st Lt USMC 

April 30, 1967 Hill 881 South Republic of Vietnam