Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial, Portland

The Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial is an 8acre outdoor war memorial dedicated to Oregonians who served in the Vietnam War. It is located in Portland, Oregon's Washington Park at. The memorial was dedicated in 1987, inspired in 1982 by visits to the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial by five veterans and the parents of a Marine killed in Vietnam. Landscape architecture firm Walker Macy of Portland designed the memorial, while construction labor and materials were almost entirely volunteer donations.
The memorial is wheelchair accessible and consists of a 1200foot spiral path within an immaculately landscaped bowl containing lawns, flowers, and low hedges, surrounded by a mixture of tall trees. Along the path are understated monuments which list Oregon soldiers killed or missing in the conflict. Each monument is year-specific and contains short expositions on the history of the war that effectively communicate its progression: a slow beginning escalating to a crescendo then diminishing before the end.
The memorial is located in the Hoyt Arboretum, adjacent to the World Forestry Center and the Oregon Zoo. The nearby trail system connects to Forest Park and is close to the International Rose Test Garden and the Portland Japanese Garden. It is accessible by U.S. Route 26 and by Portland's MAX light rail system, which has a station in Washington Park.

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