The Vietnam War stemmed from America’s efforts to contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.  By 1954, the end of French colonial rule left Vietnam divided into a communist North and pro-West South.  For the next several years, the United States supported South Vietnam with military advisors and then, by the mid-1960s, with ground [...]

The Phelps Award was designed by artist John Phelps, a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War.  In 2003, John Phelps began working with the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza on this award, resulting in the creation of a scuplted replica of a Vietnam era battle helmet.   The battle helmet is mounted on a handcrafted, green glass-block, [...]