History

Texas Vietnam Heroes Exhibit at the Museum of the American GI: Honoring Servicemen and Women

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Tony Maples Photography

 

The exhibit that was approximated to have been witnessed by more than 40,000 Texans now sits on permanent display at the Museum of the American GI in College Station, Texas. The Texas Vietnam Heroes Exhibit was originally prepared in 2013, and the award-winning display and all its features became a traveling exhibit that made numerous stops throughout the Lone Star State. Featuring 3,417 dog tags honoring Texans that were killed or went missing in the Vietnam War, in February of 2015 the exhibit made its final stop for permanent display, where it can still be visited today.

Texas Vietnam Heroes Exhibit at the Museum of the American GI: Honoring Servicemen and Women

Photo: Facebook/Texas Capitol Vietnam Monument

With personalized dog tags created to be identical to those which are entombed in the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument, the exhibit was created by the committee of the very same. Through a gift from the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, the exhibit was enabled to tour the state as part of an outreach program. Escorted by the Patriot Guard as well as a number of motorcyclists that accompanied the monument as it traveled Texas, it arrived at the American Museum of the GI, having visited such sites as San Antonio, Houston, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Abilene, and Lubbock (among others.)

Texas Vietnam Heroes Exhibit at the Museum of the American GI: Honoring Servicemen and Women

Photo: Facebook/Museum of the American GI

Dedicated to preserving the uniforms, equipment, and memories of all American service people, the American Museum of the GI is a living history museum in College Station. It’s ability to bring military history to life through its programs and collections honors the servicemen and women its impressive collection represents. Honoring and remembering every Texan who died in Vietnam, including 102 who remain listed as missing in action, the Texas Vietnam Heroes Exhibit includes a scale model of the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument as well as the individual dog tags for 3,417 Texans, with name, rank, date of loss, branch of service, and home of record hand-embossed on each. Each tag was completed for the exhibit by Don Dorsey and James Hart, Texas Marine Corps veterans, using a vintage machine which was identical to that which was used during the Vietnam War.

Texas Vietnam Heroes Exhibit at the Museum of the American GI: Honoring Servicemen and Women

Photo: Facebook/Museum of the American GI

Chairman of the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument Committee, Robert Floyd, noted “The exhibit is an educational and healing opportunity. It has traveled more than 2,400 miles across the state accompanied by a motorcycle honor guard to honor Vietnam veterans in communities across Texas, and to give veterans and families the opportunity to honor their friends and loved ones who never came home.” The exhibit won the 2013 AMA Crystal Award and 2013 Lantern Award for outstanding educational exhibitions, and its one that many people today still recognize a powerful display, provoking great emotion for those that get the opportunity to gaze upon it. If you would like to learn more about the exhibit project prior to viewing at the museum, a video of its development and display can be viewed at the YouTube link provided here.