Winfield's Vietnam War Memorial

Location:  Downtown Winfield, South side of Hwy. US-160.

Admission Fee:  None

Photos Copyright H. Schuster.  Please do not use without permission.

Vietnam.  The mention of this place still brings forth strong and very mixed emotions.  The debate continues over the United States' involvement in this small, far away country in Southeast Asia.  What can never be argued, however, is the supreme sacrifice offered in service to their country of the 777 Kansas servicemen and women whose names appear on this wall.

Modeled after the National Vietnam Memorial in Washington D. C., this Kansas memorial was started by the Winfield Class of 1963, which lost a member, Gary Bannon, in the war.  Dedicated in 1989, it's shape is symbolic of the US involvement in Vietnam.  Starting with the deployment of a few advisors in the late 1950's, then escalating to an apex in the late 1960's, then the slow withdrawal ending with the evacuation in 1975.  The casualties engraved on the wall start with the first Kansas casualty in 1959 and end with the last in 1975.

Our history is punctuated with wars.  The war in Vietnam continues to haunt us as a nation.   Questions linger about those listed as Missing In Action.  Perhaps the most troubling question of all is....Why?  Why the sacrifice?  What was gained?  Perhaps only history which is yet to be written will answer these questions.

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