Introduction

Since its dedication in November 1982, the Vietnam Memorial Wall has served as a place of pilgrimage for Americans, especially for veterans and the families of individuals whose names are on the Wall. From the first, people have left mementos and gifts, such as medals and letters, for comrades and relatives killed in the Vietnam War.

You are an editor for a magazine that will be running a special edition about the Vietnam Memorial Wall and the effect it has had on many Americans. You will use a variety of resources to conduct your research, including the Internet, your textbook, books, and personal accounts. Your final product will examine general information about the Wall as well as the impact it has had on people.

Task

You will conduct research about the Vietnam Memorial Wall and create an article for your magazine from your research. The minimum requirements for your magazine article are as follows:

1. Background information and a description of the Vietnam Memorial Wall
2. Use the Illinois Residents website and find the indicated information about one of the following individuals whose names are on the Wall and who were friends of Mr. Havelka: Raymond Hengels, Scott Wright, or John Adducci:

   rank	branch of the military
   hometown	date of birth
   date of death and age at death

3. Interview one person who has visited the wall and find out their impression of or reaction to the Wall.
4. Find examples of mementos and gifts left at the Wall. Select one that is significant to you and explain why you chose it.
5. Find the lyrics of a song written about an aspect of the Vietnam War, or the words of a poem about the Wall and discuss the message.

Resources

From the Web:

Vietnam Reflections http://www.vietnamreflections.com/

Literary Works for the Wall http://thewall-usa.com/literary/index.html

Illinois Residents http://www.distantcousin.com/Military/Vietnam/IL/H.html

Vietnam Wall http://www.vietnamwall.org/

Wall Information http://thewall-usa.com/information/

Song Lyrics http://www.ksu.edu/english/nelp/vietnam_music.html

Books:

Offerings at the Wall by Thomas B. Allen

The Wall by Ronald Himler

Evaluation

Your article will be graded according to the Social Studies Rubric that you've received in class.

Conclusion

As a result of completing this quest, you now know the history of the Vietnam War Memorial. You know that there is a personal connection to the Wall in your community. You should also have an appreciation for the impact that visiting the Wall has on individuals. When you visit the Wall in Washington, D.C., you'll have a greater understanding of the significance of this national monument.