Alabama Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Alabama Vietnam Veterans Memorial or Alabama Vietnam Moving Memorial is a granite replica of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial which was created by the Jefferson County chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
The first memorial, 32 feet long, was constructed of painted plywood by group members in 1989 for that year's Veterans Day parade in downtown Birmingham. Its popularity led the chapter to commission a new, more durable version of imported black granite. The 28-foot-long, 4-foot-tall, 5,880 pound monument is inscribed with the names of 1,209 Alabamians who died during the Vietnam War between 1963 and 1975. Elmwood Cemetery assisted with the engraving. The memorial was anchored to a custom-built trailer.
The semi-portable monument continued to make appearances at parades and special events through Veterans Day 2008, after which the cost of fuel and insurance coverage forced the group to look for a permanent home. The Cullman County chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart subsequently acquired the monument and installed it at Cullman's Sportsman Lake Park.
References
- Gray, Jeremy (November 10, 2008) "Local Vietnam memorial being retired after Tuesday's parade." Birmingham News
- McCreless, Patrick (January 7, 2009) "Donations still needed for Vietnam wall." Cullman Times