[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S4910]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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         THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

 Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I am proud to be a cosponsor of 
Senator Hagel's legislation commemorating the 15th anniversary of the 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Senate Resolution 87. His resolution is a 
fitting tribute not only to the wall itself, but to the 58,196 American 
men and women who gave their lives for this country in Southeast Asia 
or who are still missing nearly 20 years after the conclusion of the 
war.
  The memorial, the names of Americans killed and missing engraved in 
its marble edifice, is an eery reminder of the sacrifice made by so 
many young men and women for a cause many here at home disputed. Nearly 
9 million Americans served in Vietnam. Their valor in war was too often 
greeted with disrespect upon their return home. That is why the Vietnam 
Veterans Memorial plays such an important role in honoring the bravery 
and sacrifice of the soldiers who served in an unpopular war at a 
tumultuous time in American history.
  While the memorial's design was at first controversial, it has become 
an important aspect of the National Mall in Washington, DC, visited by 
tens of thousands of tourists every year. For those whose loved ones 
perished in Vietnam, it is an opportunity to see firsthand, that their 
friends or relatives will be revered and remembered for a long time to 
come. For those who were not touched personally by the war, the 
memorial is a chance to understand and experience Vietnam. And for all 
Americans, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a lesson about the dangers 
of war and the bravery, character, and patriotism of the men and women 
of our Armed Forces.
  On this, the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 
Senator Hagel's resolution is a timely and appropriate way to honor all 
those who served in Vietnam. I am proud, Mr. President, to be an 
original cosponsor.

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