Vietnam Veterans Plaza

Vietnam Veterans Plaza is a 0.73-acre memorial space on South Street in the Financial District, dedicated to the men and women from New York City who served in the Vietnam War. The plaza was designated in 1985 and contains one of the most powerful war memorials in New York.

The memorial's centerpiece is a wall of translucent green glass blocks etched with excerpts from letters, diary entries, and poems written by Americans who served in Vietnam. These words, drawn from the personal writings of soldiers, nurses, journalists, and civilians, give the memorial an intimate, human quality that distinguishes it from more conventional military monuments.

The excerpted writings range from expressions of hope and camaraderie to raw accounts of fear, grief, and disillusionment. By presenting the war through the words of those who experienced it, the memorial avoids political commentary and instead honors the individual human experience of service and sacrifice.

The plaza includes seating, plantings, and a reflective atmosphere appropriate to its memorial function. Its location in the Financial District, near the East River waterfront, places it slightly apart from the busiest commercial streets, creating a contemplative space amid the district's towers.

Vietnam Veterans Plaza serves as New York City's primary memorial to the Vietnam War, complementing the national memorial in Washington, D.C. The use of personal writings as the memorial's primary medium creates an unusually direct connection between visitors and the people whose service the plaza honors.