Oregon lawmakers got a tour of the proposed site of a memorial honoring Vietnam War veterans Tuesday.
There are no memorials dedicated to the Vietnam War anywhere on state property. This one would be on the west side of the state Capitol and would feature granite columns with the names of Oregonians who died in the war, listed by their hometown.
The memorial will incorporate existing trees and other natural features of the site, says Rep. Rick Lewis, R-Silverton, who also serves on the project’s steering committee.
“There’s so many memorials that are just a wall of names," he said. "And we’ve got that in Washington DC for the Vietnam Memorial. But this will be more of a serene atmosphere.”
The non-profit that’s proposing the project says it will take around $3 million to build and is seeking private donations to cover the cost. They hope to dedicate the memorial on Veterans Day, 2023.