Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a name on The Moving Wall?
A directory will be provided listing the names on the wall in alphabetical order. Under each name is the panel and line location of where to locate the name. If you need help in locating a name just ask one of our volunteers in the shelter area. Paper will be provided for you to write down the name, panel and line. We will also have paper and rubbing crayon for those who want to rub a name that appears on The Moving Wall.
Will the Memorial Park be handicap accessible?
Although the area is grass, we will have a walkway (made of 3/4 inch plywood covered with outdoor carpet) that goes the complete length of The Moving Wall. It will accommodate wheelchairs and scooters.
Are there any restrictions at the Memorial Park while The Moving Wall is present?
Out of respect for the Memorial, pets, food, and beverages are not allowed and the use of cell phones is strictly prohibited while in the area of the Wall. Solicitation of any kind is not allowed in/or adjacent to the Memorial Park.
What are the dates 1959 and 1975 on the Wall?
1959 is the year that the Department of Defense gave as the date in which the first American casualties occurred. The first two men listed, Dale R. Buis and Chester N Ovnard (this name was a misspelling, it should have read "Chester A Ovnand"), were military advisors, killed on July 8th in Bien Hoa while watching a movie in a mess tent. However, after the dedication of the Memorial in November 1982, it was learned that a Captain Harry Cramer had been killed in action in 1957. His name was subsequently added to the Memorial, but it was impossible to change the 1959 date on the granite panel. In 2000, Richard Fitzgibbon, Jr. who had been killed in 1956 had his name inscribed on the Wall.
1975 was the year the last 18 casualties occurred. The 18 were casualties on May 15th during the operation to rescue the U.S. freighter Mayaguez and its crew.
What are the dimensions of The Moving Wall?
Overall length of the Moving Wall is 252.83 feet, which is slightly longer than half the length of the Memorial in Washington, whose length is 493.5 feet composed of 74 separate frames, each frame contains two silk-screened panels. Each of the two walls that make up the entire Wall is 126.5 feet in length. The tallest panels have 137 lines of names, while the shortest panels at each end of the Wall have only one line. Originally there were five names on each line, but with the addition of names, some lines now have six names. At the vertex of The Moving Wall, where the two walls join at a 125-degree angle, the panels are just over six feet in height. In Washington, these same panels are 10.2 feet in height.
Which Wall is East, which is West?
When facing The Moving Wall, the East wall is always to your right, starting with panel 1E (the panel with 1959 at the top, no panel number at the bottom). The West wall, starting with panel 1W (the panel with 1975 at the bottom) is just to the left of panel 1E.
What are the numbers at the bottoms of the panels?
The numbers posted at the bottom of each panel are reference numbers used to locate a name. They do not signify dates. The numbers for both East and West walls start out from the center of the Memorial and extending to the far ends with the number 70E or 70W. The last four panels on each end are blank. These blank panels merely finish out the artistic design and are not locations for adding additional names.
What are the dots?
The white dots are used to help locate the line on which a name appears. They are particularly helpful when looking for a name on the larger panels. Each dot marks 20 lines. The dots are located in the margin of each panel.
What are the symbols beside the names?
The diamonds (<>) and pluses (+) indicate whether a person is confirmed dead (including those who died from accidents and natural causes), or those missing. The diamonds indicate that a person's death was confirmed. The pluses indicate that a person remains missing and/or prisoner of war, and are in no way meant to be a religious symbol. A plus symbol can be turned into a diamond if a person is declared dead or their remains are recovered. A circle symbolizing the "circle of life" will be inscribed around the plus if a person is brought home alive.
What happens to the articles left at the Memorial?
The artifacts, which people leave just as they have done in Washington since the beginning, are collected, boxed, and marked at each location then taken back to San Jose, California. They are currently stored in the Memorial Fund's warehouse/office complex. When the Moving Wall has fulfilled the needs for which it was created, a permanent site will be developed and landscaped. A museum will be built at the site, and all the artifacts that have been left at the Moving Wall will be displayed in glass cases below each state flag of states The Moving Wall visited.
How many names are on the Wall?
As of January 1, 2003 there are 58,228 names listed on the Memorial. Approximately 1300 of these are still unaccounted for prisoners of war (P.O.W.'s) and missing in action (M.I.A.'s).
How are the names arranged on the Wall?
They are in chronological order, according to the date of casualty. Within each day, the names are alphabetized. For the MIA's, the date of casualty is the date they were reported captured or missing. The list starts and ends at the apex (center) of the Wall, beginning at the date 1959 and the inscription at the top of panel 1E:
IN HONOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES WHO SERVED IN THE VIETNAM WAR. THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AND OF THOSE WHO REMAIN MISSING ARE INSCRIBED IN THE ORDER THEY WERE TAKEN FROM US.
The listing goes out to the end of the East Wall (70E), then resumes at the far left end of the west wall (70W), ending with the date 1975 and the inscription at the bottom of panel 1W:
OUR NATION HONORS THE COURAGE, SACRIFICE AND DEVOTION TO DUTY AND COUNTRY OF ITS VIETNAM VETERANS. THIS MEMORIAL WAS BUILT WITH PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. NOVEMBER 11, 1982
Although 1959 is marked as the beginning on panel 1E, Army Captain Harry Cramer was killed October 21, 1957. His name was added to line 78, panel 1E in 1983. And in 2000, the name of Air Force Sgt. Richard B Fitzgibbon Jr, who was killed June 8, 1956, was added. On September 7, 1965 his son, USMC LCpl Richard B Fitzgibbon III was killed in action. They are the only father and son listed on the Wall.
Where can I write to obtain the latest information on American POW/MIAs still unaccounted for in Southeast Asia?
There are several organizations and individuals throughout the country who are actively working to resolve the issue of live Americans in Southeast Asia. Several put out newsletters of the most current information available. Only a few are listed here:
U.S. Veteran Dispatch
P.O. Box 246
Kinston, NC 28502
(monthly paper $18/yr)
Task Force Omega
of Southern California
P.O. Box 687
Glendora, CA 91740
P.O.W. Network
(Contains one of the most
extensive databases covering the MIA issue from all wars)
Where can I obtain current Information about the M.I.A. whose bracelet I wear?
If you wear a POW/MIA bracelet and wish to learn more about the person whose name it bears, or to write to a returned POW, or to send them your bracelet, send your letter in a properly stamped envelope to the appropriate branch of service with a cover letter from you asking them to forward your letter to the person or family. Because of the Privacy Act, Casualty Officers are unable to give out addresses, but they are more than willing to forward mail upon request. The addresses for each branch of service are:
- ARMY -
Attn: Casualty Officer
H.Q.D.A. (DAPC-PED-P)
2461 Eisenhower Ave
Alexandria, VA 22331-0482
(800) 892-2490
- AIR FORCE -
Attn: Chief, MPD
HQ AFMPC/DPMCB
Randolph Air Force Base, TX 78150-6001
(800) 531-5501
- MARINE CORPS -
Attn: Casualty Officer
HQ USMC (Code MHP-10)
Washington, DC 20380-0001
(800) 847-1597
- NAVY -
Attn: Casualty Officer
Department of Navy
NMPC-N64DD
Washington, DC 20370-5640
(800) 443-9298
Links Of Interest
To get more information on The Moving Wall:
List of the starting and ending dates of each panel:
Finding the location of a very special name:
The Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC:
The Virtual Wall:
National Lists of Casualties from the Vietnam Conflict (1956-):
