ATLANTA — Atlanta’s new Vietnam veterans memorial will be unveiled this weekend at Piedmont Park, honoring 240 soldiers from Atlanta and Fulton County who never came home.
Eldson James McGhee, head of the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans of America chapter, says the project has helped him cope with survivor’s guilt.
“This memorial is our promise to remember,” said Councilmember Bond. “It is a place where stone and steel will forever echo the names and legacies of Atlanta’s fallen.”
The memorial was built with support from city officials and an architect who donated his services.
The ceremony begins with a parade through Piedmont Park in tribute to National Vietnam War Veterans Day, followed by a ribbon cutting and unveiling.
Speakers will include Georgia State Sen. Ed Harbison, representatives from U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s office, and Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District Rep. Nikema Williams.
Councilmember Bond has advocated for the memorial for over a decade, working with Sons of Atlanta since 2015 to ensure the sacrifices of local Vietnam War veterans are honored.
The centerpiece of the memorial is a wall engraved with the names of the 240 fallen service members. Commemorative bricks with the names of local veterans lead up to the memorial.