Located in downtown San Antonio, Veterans Memorial Plaza was created to provide a place of honor that would allow visitors to pay tribute to veterans and those that didn’t return from the battlefield. Home to numerous individual war memorials, the plaza showcases what it can mean to create connections between audiences in the past and present to attract attention from across the eras.
“Hill-881 South,” “Night Watch” and more
Dedicated in 1986, the centerpiece of Veterans Memorial Plaza is “Hill-881 South,” which depicts a larger-than-life Marine Corps radio operator lending aid to a fallen comrade during the Khe Sanh hill fights of April-May 1967. A poem written by Lt. David C. Rogers the night before the battle is written on a nearby marker.
Not far from this piece is a monument called “Night Watch” that honors the Korean War veterans. The sculpture depicts soldiers in a foxhole in the shape of a large rock cairn, visible from their chests up. Created in 1994, the two soldiers are dressed in winter gear.
While these two sculptures are the most notable, other pieces located throughout the plaza are dedicated to the combatants of the Battle of the Bulge and to all the San Antonians who served in the nation’s armed forces.
Made possible by the private contributions of more than 130,000 Americans, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial of San Antonio was established by all five branches of the armed forces to oversee the creation of the monument. This organization is firmly connected to the community, and with the ability to schedule events at Veterans Memorial Plaza or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, that connection resonates on many levels.
Featuring notable monuments and landmarks of different sizes and types that honor the efforts of those who served in multiple conflicts, Veterans Memorial Plaza highlights what is possible when the efforts to honor a community define a space in a way that creates engagement and connection.
A Trying Time Into a Place of Connection
Created to honor those men and women who served the United States during one of its most trying times, Veterans Memorial Plaza has become a hub of activity for all of San Antonio. By serving as such a powerful place of connection for veterans and the entire community, the landmark highlights how memorials can serve as so much more for individuals and entire communities.
