Developed by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, this traveling exhibit highlights the stories and experiences of Virginians who served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Fifty years after the Fall of Saigon—when communist forces captured the capital of South Vietnam and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City—the Vietnam War remains a defining chapter in history, leaving a lasting impact on Virginians. Through personal objects and oral histories, the exhibit explores what Virginia’s soldiers, policymakers, families, activists, and Vietnamese migrants carried—both physically and emotionally—during the war and its aftermath.
Exhibit highlights include:
- An M1 helmet worn by a U.S. Army infantryman who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971 features graffiti marking significant missions, slogans, and locations.
- A personalized Zippo lighter carried by a U.S. Air Force ground power technician and armorer, displayed alongside his boonie hat and locally sewn squadron patch.
- A copy of the New Testament, featuring a steel plate inside the cover, was presented to a U.S. Army Officer by his family the night before he deployed to Vietnam.
These artifacts, along with many others, were generously loaned to the museum for this exhibit. More than 230,000 Virginians served in Vietnam. Of those, 1,490 lost their lives, and the state ranked fifth in the nation for the number of prisoners of war. Today, Virginia is home to approximately 200,000 Vietnam-era veterans and 60,000 Vietnamese Americans. This compelling traveling exhibit will be on display through February 24, 2025, on the Mezzanine level of the museum. The Military Aviation Museum is located at 1341 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23457, and is open daily from 9 AM-5 PM. For more information visit https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/ or call 757-721-7767.
ABOUT THE MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM
A 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the Military Aviation Museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of airworthy military aircraft from the first 50-years of flight. Truly a living museum, its aircraft are being restored at facilities around the world. Besides the main Museum, the Virginia Beach complex features additional exhibition spaces, including a mid-1930s Luftwaffe hangar, originally from Cottbus, Germany, which now serves to house the Museum’s collection of WWII-vintage German aircraft. Additional structures include the WWI Hangar, and the original control tower from RAF Goxhill built in England in 1942. Visit www.militaryaviationmuseum.org for more information or call 757-721-7767.