Texas will turn a grateful heart to honor her Vietnam Veterans. The Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument will stand as a long overdue Thank You to honor, remember and celebrate the courage, integrity, duty and sacrifice of all Vietnam veterans who call Texas home.

Every year a million visitors to the Texas State Capitol grounds are met by a collection of monuments that stand as sentries of the past to remind us of the service and sacrifice of Texans in times of war. Now the estimated half-million Texans who served, and the 3,417 young sons of the Lone Star State who perished, in the Vietnam War will be honored alongside the Heroes of the Alamo, the Confederate Soldiers, and Texas veterans of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

Nestled in dappled shade on the northeast side of the Capitol grounds, the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument will stand as a permanent reminder that 107 Texas men who answered the nation's call remain Missing in Action in Vietnam. It will honor 17 Native Texans who earned the nation's highest commendation, the Congressional Medal of Honor. It will also forever be a place where visitors can reflect on and honor every Texan who fought for and served the country with honor and courage during America's war in Vietnam. The Monument is tentatively scheduled for dedication in the fall of 2013.

The Plan

The Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument will celebrate its Groundbreaking on March 24th and 25th in Austin with a special tribute to the Texans who died in the Vietnam War. All Texas Vietnam veterans are invited to attend the events which are free and open to the public.

On March 24th a Reading of the Names of 3,417 Texans who died in Vietnam will be held at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library auditorium from 8:30-5:30.

On the same day, the Texas Vietnam Heroes Exhibit of 3,417 hand-stamped dog tags honoring each Texan will open in the Great Hall of the LBJ Library. An evening reception for veterans and families will be held at 6:00p.m. at Austin's historic Scholz Garten.

The monument Ground-breaking Ceremony will take place on the Texas Capitol Grounds at 10:00a.m. on March 25th. Texan Joe Galloway will deliver the keynote address. Full information, including how to make reservations for the reception, is available at http://buildthe monument.org/groundbreaking-events.

The Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument will be dedicated in the fall of 2013. Please visit

www.buildthemonument.org. The monument itself will be cast at the Heart of Texas Art Foundry in Bastrop, Texas. When complete and dedicated, the monument will be available for public viewing.