10. Vietnam Veterans Plaza
Upon raising $1 million in private donations, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission provided the funding for the Vietnam Veterans Plaza, which was dedicated by Mayor Edward I. Koch on May 4, 1985; the memorial commemorates the 250,000 service members of New York City who served in the armed forces between 1964 to 1975 (especially the 1,741 who died during the Vietnam War).
Designed by architects Peter Wormser, William Fellows, and veteran Joseph Ferrandino, it features a granite shelf and a wall of glass blocks, engraved with excerpts of letters, poems, and diary entries written by news dispatches and members of the armed forces.
During a renovation of the monument site in 2001, additional features were installed including a stainless-steel map that provides details about the war, a new granite fountain, and the “Walk of Honor,” a series of 12 granite pylons with the names of the 1,741 lost heroes.
Next, check out Vintage Photos: Memorial Day in NYC Through the Ages and 10 Maritime Memorials in NYC