The Story Behind the National Mall’s “Three Soldiers”

If you walk along the National Mall today, you’ll find monuments that honor military veterans alongside memorials of past presidents and other national heroes. Among them, the iconic Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of the most visited. One statue in the memorial, The Three Soldiers, signifies the diversity of the troops who served in Vietnam.

The Memorial Wall adjacent to the statue lists every soldier who went to Vietnam; many of them from foreign countries. The appearances of the Three Servicemen Statue (also referred to as the Three Soldiers) reflect that: even though all three men share the same bronze skin tone, they are meant to be Black, White, and Hispanic.

Today we honor more than 1.1 million service members who gave their lives for this country, many of whom died while fighting in Vietnam. The Three Servicemen Statue is a powerful reminder of who pays the price for our freedoms and rights. Latinos have also made ample contributions to our society, and many have paid with their lives while serving their country. We are incredibly grateful to them and their families. They are not forgotten.