Previous | Next :: The Creation of Adam : Vietnam War Memorial : The Mall Washington DC | May 31, 2007, 11:22 am

"...this memorial is for those who have died, and for us to remember them." - Maya Ying Lin, designer, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial recognizes and honors the men and women who served in one of America's most divisive wars. The memorial grew out of a need to heal the nation's wounds as America struggled to reconcile different moral and political points of view. In fact, the memorial was conceived and designed to make no political statement whatsoever about the war. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a place where everyone, regardless of opinion, can come together and remember and honor those who served. By doing so, the memorial has paved the way towards reconciliation and healing, a process that continues today.

58,253 names are carved into the wall of the monument. Families and individuals come to find the names of their lost fathers and brothers, friends and fellow soldiers. They have come to remember them, pay their respects and see that particular name carved in stone alongside all the others.

This image for me has a hint of the Sistine Chapel about it......er...... I hear what you are saying....... slightly grand claim for your own photography...... I know.....but this moment puts me in mind of the 'Creation of Adam' where the hands almost touch......... a connection from Heaven to Earth.