The monument at Brook Run Park will be funded entirely through private donations.
Dunwoody, GA – September 5, 2023– Dunwoody’s Mayor and City Council will join the Vietnamese American Community of Georgia (VAC-GA) and the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association (AVVBA) for the groundbreaking for a Vietnam War Memorial at Brook Run Park. Located near the existing DeKalb Veterans Memorial, the new monument will be the only memorial east of the Mississippi to feature an American Infantry soldier and a soldier from the former republic of South Vietnam standing side by side. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, September 12.
Construction of the monument is the result of efforts by the leadership of the VAC-GA, in partnership with the AVVBA. The monument will be funded entirely through private donations. The life-sized statues of the soldiers will be cast in bronze and serve as the focus of a central plaza surrounded by marble benches.
“This is a way to recognize the collective sacrifice of soldiers who lost their lives for the sake of freedom,” said John Butler, project director for the AVVBA. “There’s no place I’d rather have this than in Dunwoody.”
The memorial will be located on a corner about 100 feet from the DeKalb Veterans Memorial at Brook Run Park, which will undergo renovations this year to create a more engaging and approachable experience. The two memorials will be connected by a sidewalk.
“This is especially important for the younger generations,” added TraMy Nguyen, project director for VAC-GA. “We want to make sure the sacrifice of soldiers and their families is never forgotten.”
A total of more than 300,000 Vietnamese, and 58,000 American soldiers lost their lives in the Vietnam War. It is hoped that this monument will serve as a lasting reminder of those men and women from two very different lifestyles and cultures who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. For more information or to donate, go to www.VNWarMemorial.org.
“This fits hand-in-glove with everything we’re doing with our own Veterans Memorial,” said Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Director Brent Walker. “We’ve been working with both groups on a concept, and we’re honored they chose Dunwoody.”