The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is coming to life on the Oregon State Capitol! Work is officially underway, and we’re pleased to provide you with ongoing updates on the progress. Every “step” towards completing this project is another vital step in acknowledging the sacrifices made by the fearless men and women who served in the Vietnam War. This project isn’t just about creating a physical monument; it’s about providing a place for reflection, healing, and peace for veterans and their families.
Here’s what’s been happening over the past few weeks:
Week 1 (2024.07.14)
We kicked off the first week with a lot of groundwork…literally. Oregon’s own Andersen Construction – spearheading the prep – installed temporary irrigation to maintain a safe and clean site throughout the project. Next, we dove into the storm line excavation and area drain installation to further manage water runoff and prevent potential flooding. This first week wasn’t all about underground work, though. We also hung up new banners around the site with a glimpse of what the finished memorial will look like. If you live in the area, check them out!
Week 2 (2024.07.21)
The second week was an electrifying mix of boring pathways and laying wiring. These electrical components will keep the memorial well-lit and safe for visitors throughout all hours. This way, it can be enjoyed even when natural lighting isn’t available. Ensuring the entire site is well-connected will also fulfill various other electrical needs. We also installed and backfilled another storm line building on the previous week’s work to ensure the memorial stands strong for generations to come.
Further Reading: The Most Impressive Vietnam Memorials in the US & Worldwide
Week 3 (2024.07.28)
We got lucky in week three as it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Oregon Specialty Group Hoopla tournament. The tournament is hosted every year on the grounds of the Oregon State Capitol, the future home of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was a great reminder of the community spirit that this project will embody. Once the games wrapped up, we got back to work backfilling trenches and laying the stone sub-base – key preparation for the sidewalks that will wind through the site.
Week 4 (2024.08.04)
In the fourth week, the sidewalk sub-base was graded to make for a comfortable and safe pathway throughout the memorial. Our team created the core holes that will hold the engraved granite columns for the Memorial Monument. This section will display the names of all Oregonians who died in Vietnam while saluting all military branches. The highly anticipated Diamond Pier delivery finally arrived. In an interesting turn, we unearthed some random artifacts during excavation.
Week 5 (2024.08.11)
Things were really starting to take shape by the end of week five. The team installed concrete foundations for the Diamond Pier. The rest of the work involved pouring concrete for the sidewalk and edge restraint. The edge restraint helps to define the memorial’s boundaries and keep everything in the right place as the project matures.
Upcoming Milestones
Currently, OM Stone in Hillsboro is hard at work engraving the black granite columns for the Memorial Monument. The 46 granite columns will be delivered to the memorial site in three different batches. The first batch is expected to be delivered on or before August 29th. The granite columns will be installed in September. These highly intricate and aesthetic pillars will serve as one of the most important features of the memorial.
There are plenty of exciting updates on the horizon as this meaningful project gets off the ground! We’ll continue updating this page as the project progresses. Stay tuned by signing up for our newsletter. Interested in donating? Click here! Every donation – no matter the size – gets us closer to our goal of honoring Vietnam veterans.