The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a revered landmark nestled on Chicago's Riverwalk between Wabash and State, is finally shedding the scars of neglect. After years in which the inscribed tribute to Illinois soldiers lost in Vietnam fell victim to the elements, the city has rolled out a restoration game plan, as per announcements by Mayor Brandon Johnson and the city’s Department of Fleet and Facilities Management.
Dedicated back in 2005, the site serves as a somber reminder of the 2,936 service members from the state who never returned home from the war. It took a tip-off from a local vet, who reached out with a voice full of concern to Kevin Barszcz, Director of the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs, to get the wheels turning. "There were at least a hundred, maybe a little more, names that were faded away. And due to the elements outside, it was very difficult to see some of these names," Barszcz told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The emotional value of the monument can't be overstressed, as Barszcz, whose own father was a Navy Vietnam vet, understands only too well. "Having to lose a family member due to war, and now, losing their name on the wall — I know that’s very difficult,” he shared with the Sun-Times. Thanks to the city's financial muscle, the project proceeded, and although the exact cost remains unreported, Chicago promises this oversight won't happen again with a new maintenance schedule and annual inspections ahead.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas, himself a Marine Corps vet, was far from surprised by the state of disrepair, indicating foundational issues with city planning. "It’s a shame that we would have a veterans memorial to Chicagoans who have … made the ultimate sacrifice, [then] have their names faded away," he told the Sun-Times. Meanwhile, efforts to honor Vietnam veterans will continue, with Mayor Johnson designating March 29 as official Vietnam Veterans Day in Chicago, an announcement corroborated by WGN-TV.
The restoration couldn't come too soon for former Ald. Jim Balcer, himself a decorated Vietnam veteran. He recalled the powerful June 13, 1986, parade when Chicago finally saluted its returning heroes in style. "We told him, 'Take a look at it. It needs repair.’ He jumped right on it,” Balcer recalled in his interview with the Chicago Sun-Times. The city’s refurbishment has ensured that the names of those who sacrificed their lives will once again be clearly etched for posterity, renewing the commitment to those who served and the families who remember them.
