A memorial plaque honoring civilians, families and veterans affected by the Vietnam War was unveiled at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery in Seattle. The black stone bears the flags of the United States and South Vietnam, the country that existed before the fall of Saigon. Its inscription urges people to remember the sacrifices made and reads: “May peace begin here.”
The memorial was donated to the cemetery by Aimee Do and her family. They fled Vietnam in 1975, shortly before U.S. troops withdrew, and settled in Washington state. Do later graduated from college, became an engineering manager at Boeing and founded a nonprofit that has helped more than 200 Vietnamese people pursue higher education. She said the idea for the monument came to her after a trip to Vietnam: she wanted the dead and veterans to be remembered in the United States, too.
Memorial events are one way the Seattle-area Vietnamese community preserves the memory of the war and South Vietnam. That memory is also kept alive by community organizations, museums, family stories and commemorations. For many refugees, April 30, the day Saigon fell, is “National Day of Mourning.” Views of the war’s legacy vary: some emphasize the loss of their homeland and exile, while others focus on reconciliation and the conflict’s shared consequences. Differences in generation and political experience often surface in disputes over symbols and wording.
About 60 people attended the ceremony, including U.S. and South Vietnamese military veterans. Speeches were delivered in English and Vietnamese. Participants said the war claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans and a far greater number of Vietnamese, and that families in both countries endured its painful consequences. A representative of a veterans’ organization stressed the importance of remembering both those who came home and those who did not.
After Saigon fell in April 1975, U.S. authorities resettled Vietnamese refugees across the country, seeking to spread the burden among the states. Washington state took in a significant number of people because it had space to house them and community organizations willing to help. It was the only state in the country to establish an official Vietnamese resettlement program at the time. The program coordinated placement and basic support, including housing, food, medical care, English classes and job searches. Families were also supported by religious communities and volunteer sponsors.
In 1975, Gov. Dan Evans urged residents to help the newly arrived. The Do family first settled in Spokane: her parents took any work they could find, and her father later got a job at a company that made parts for Boeing. Do says she loves both America and Vietnam and wants to contribute to both countries.
Based on: Vietnam War refugee unveils a memorial to honor veterans in Seattle