Essay About Vietnam Memorial And Fitzgibbon June

Huma 1315: The Vietnam Memorial Wall
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Christopher Cunningham
Dr. Patricia J. Guthrie
HUMA-1315-TC042 (Fine Arts Appreciation)
Final paper: The Vietnam Memorial
Architect: Maya Lin
Name of building: The Vietnam Memorial
Figure Number: 80 page 70
Date of construction: 1982
Location: Washington D.C.
Dimensions and Size: The wall is approximately 246.75 feet long which is made up of
70 separate blocks which are made of granite concrete paneling and is 10.1 in height.
Spanning element: steel and reinforced concrete
Materials: stone and concrete
What is the purpose of the building: The Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. serves
as a place of memorial to those both living and dead who sacrificed their lives in the
Vietnam war. May Lin the one who helped construct the memorial wanted it to
give the visitor a feeling of peace and safety to show that this sacrifice was not in
vain but despite that it was an unpopular war it served a greater purpose to remember
the dead and the sacrifice they gave to America.
Consider the formal elements and how it relates to the purpose of the building:
The Vietnam Memorial stands as a wall made of black granite and stone reinforced
Concrete. It list over 58,261 names in addition to another 1200 inscriptions of those
either taken prisoner of war or are missing in action while in service in Vietnam. The
panel of names contains 137 lines. The first known causality is listed as Richard B.
Fitzgibbon June 8 1956 along with his son Lance Corp Richard B. Fitzgibbon following
in Sept 1965. All names on the memorial are listed in chronological order from first and
last name to casualty date. As you continue down the wall you notice that it faces both the
Washington and Lincoln memorial. It allows the viewer to take in the beautiful sites
surrounding the memorial with others near by which are surrounded by trees. The viewer
merges