The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated to the 350,000 Californians who served during the Vietnam War (1965-75). This memorial, located in the California State Capitol Park, was dedicated in 1988 and has served as the location for countless ceremonies of remembrance ever since. The many mementos that have been left behind by visitors are collected and housed within a special collection at the California State Archives.

The 3,750 square-foot, circular memorial includes four life-size bronze figures: two soldiers, a nurse (of whom 15,000 served) and a prisoner of war. The memorial’s 22 black granite panels list the names of 5,822 California service members who died or went missing in the line of duty. Legislation was passed in 2009 making March 30th “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.”

(Assembly Bill 1289, Chapter 191, 2014)