About the Monument

Honoring Our Texas Heroes

The Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument honors all the men and women of Texas who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. Entombed inside the monument are personalized dog tags honoring each of the 3,417 Texans who died or are unaccounted for in Vietnam.

As the physical and symbolic center of state government, the Texas State Capitol and its grounds are carefully managed by the State Preservation Board. Additions to the grounds must be legislatively approved, and in May 2005, during the 79th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and Representative Wayne Smith, both Vietnam veterans, co-sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 36 authorizing the monument.

An estimated 5,000 people attended the March 29, 2014 dedication of the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument as Texas schoolchildren, representatives of the U.S. Department of Defense and active duty military personnel, Texas citizens and their elected leaders, and veterans and families joined to honor the estimated half million Vietnam veterans who lived in the state at the time. The event occurred on the 41st anniversary of the day the last American combat troops left Vietnam.

For the one million people who visit the Texas State Capitol every year, the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument – and the monuments honoring Texans who served in the Texas Revolution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War – are a reminder of the proud service and noble sacrifice of Texans in the United States military throughout history.

Monument Overview

They were infantry soldiers and marines, sailors, helicopter and jet pilots and crews, nurses and doctors, and support personnel. They endured harsh weather and constant danger and the loneliness and heartbreak of separation from their loved ones in a war that that grew increasingly controversial. Many returned with lifelong wounds – seen and unseen – to a war-weary nation. While the Vietnam War is history for some, the healing continues for others.

The Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument is accompanied by an online “Living Monument” capturing the stories of Texans affected by the Vietnam War. Stories are keyed to an interactive map of Texas, illustrating the hometown service of Texas during the Vietnam War. Texas veterans, families and civilians affected by the war are invited to contribute their photographs and stories to this educational archive that brings the monument to life.

A virtual tour of the monument explains the historical context of its symbols and allows visitors to hear the first-person accounts of war veterans. Visitors can learn about the 14-foot-high bronze sculpture of the infantry patrol, each of the figures and scenes depicted on the bas-relief panels surrounding the base, the POW/MIA symbol on the benches, and the 3417 memorial.