The Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Did you know there was a Vietnam veterans memorial in Dorchester? The other day I was speaking with my buddy Judy who mentioned she had taken a trip out there last month to commemorate the fall of Saigon on April 30, with a class led by Peter Kiang. Peter talked about the history of the memorial and asked the class to write a reflection upon seeing it. She wrote:
I’ve driven down Morrissey Boulevard many times before and never really saw what was sitting in the green space that lined the entrance to UMass Boston. Little did I know (until our class visit to the Memorial on April 30th), that that green space was all a deliberate construction included in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Seeing this space that is meant for reflection, honoring, remembering, acknowledging, etc., raises questions as to the physical placement of the memorial–why on Morrissey Boulevard where there is hardly pedestrian traffic and mostly the rumble of cars speeding by; why is it between the waters of the Boston Harbor, UMass Boston and roadways leading to Quincy, Dorchester and Boston; is it public space or an area restricted to be used only by some, like UMass Boston students and staff only?
Connecting this Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the wars going on now in the Middle East, makes me think of how one-sided most views are of history. In this Vietnam Veterans Memorial, it didn’t just have reference to Vietnam in title only, but this one had an homage to the Republic of Vietnam service for those who fought, not just who served with the US, but for South Vietnam, and also referencing the geographical areas of South Vietnam where there were battles… it is a reminder that these wars affect many–it isn’t just about one side, who wins vs loses.
According to the 2000 Boston census, 7,825 households reported speaking Vietnamese in the home. 5,491 of those homes reported lived in Dorchester. The concentration of Vietnamese in the area adds another layer to the memorial’s significance, and the shared history of its residents.
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