<p>On Veterans Day, Friday, November 11, 2005, Mayor Richard M. Daley officially dedicated Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza, which commemorates the service of more than 2.5 million men and women who served in the conflict. The memorial park is designed by the architectural firm of Ross, Barney and Jankowski. 
</p><p>The plaza and memorial features a water wall located in a niche directly behind a bridge of black granite listing nearly 3,000 Illinois veterans who were killed in action, listed chronologically by year. Those listed after the war ended are individuals who died as a result of injuries sustained while serving. POW-MIA’s are also listed according to the date they became missing. 
</p><p>A circular medallion in the niche portrays an Asian dragon and Bamboo trees, representing the Vietnam service medal was designed by artist and Vietnam veteran, Gary Tillery who was commissioned by the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum. 
</p><p>At the foot of the wall is an engraved timeline that serves to provide a context of history for younger generations and the plaza also includes service emblems of the Armed Forces and support service organizations. 
</p><p>The memorial includes important parts of the original Vietnam Veterans memorial (moved as part of the Wacker Drive reconstruction), including the plaque donated by the Vietnamese community of Illinois and engraved stones from the reflecting pool. 
</p>
The $4.3 million memorial is one of the largest Vietnam War memorials outside of Washington D.C.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/29778206@N04">Ray Dumas</a> from Warren, USA
CC BY-SA 2.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rtdphotography/3670302557/">IMG_8973 - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza, Chicago Illinois</a>