Groundbreaking: March 26, 1982.
Dedication: November 13, 1982.
Designer: Maya Ying Lin.
Architect: Cooper-Lecky Partnership.
Material: Black granite from Bangalore, India.
Length: each wall is 246 feet 9 inches (75.21 meters) long; the total length of the Wall is 493 feet 6 inches (150.42 meters).
Height: 10 feet 3 inches (3.12 meters) at the center of the memorial.
Angle: 125° 12.
Density of granite: 210 lbs/cubic foot (3364 kilograms/cubic meter).
Number of panels: for each wall, 70 separate inscribed panels, plus 4 at each end without names.
Panel dimensions: 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) wide, 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) thick, between 8 inches (20.32 centimeters) to 10 feet 3 inches (3.12 meters) tall.
Number of lines per panel: 1 to 137.
Number of names per line: 5 to 6.
Height of letters: 0.53 inches (1.35 centimeters).
Depth of letters: 0.015 inches (0.038 centimeters).
Foundation: The granite panels are supported by 140 concrete pilings driven approximately 35 feet to bedrock.
Total cost: Construction costs of the Wall totaled approximately $4,284,000. The VVMF raised nearly $9 million in private contributions in its quest to win support and build the memorial.
2003 President George W. Bush signs act that approves planning and building of an underground education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
