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CNN Sunday Morning
New Vietnam Memorial Unveiled
Aired May 27, 2001 - 10:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: There is a new memorial to the thousands of fallen Vietnam war veterans. It is made of dog tags, as we see in the close-up here.
This sculpture, titled "Above and Beyond," was unveiled yesterday in Chicago at the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum.
This unveiling was timed for the Memorial Day weekend, Kyra.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Perfect timing. And this morning, we're joined by the co-designers of the "Above and Beyond" statue. Ned Broderick is president of the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum and Rick Steinbock was project manager for the sculpture, and they both are joining us from Chicago.
Good morning, gentlemen.
NED BRODERICK, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL VIETNAM VETERANS ART MUSEUM: Good morning.
RICK STEINBOCK, PROJECT MANGER, "ABOVE AND BEYOND": Good morning.
PHILLIPS: Well, we both want to know, first of all, who came up with this idea? How did this all get started?
BRODERICK: Ricky?
STEINBOCK: Well, I came up with the idea of using dog tags. We tried many different ideas, and it seems like the dog tag fit perfectly in the area that we had use.
WATERS: It is an artists decision. But what inspired you in the first place to even begin a project paying tribute to Vietnam veterans?
BRODERICK: Well, we always wanted to have the names of the 58,226 Americans in the museum, and it has been a matter of size constraints and Ricky hit upon the dog tag idea and I laid it out in a formation, much like a soldier standing in formation.
PHILLIPS: And, also, Ned, you're a painter. So, when you look at this project, this sculpture, compared to other things that you've done, did this move you in any different sort of way? BRODERICK: Oh, very much. Here you have the names of everyone killed, and working that into a shape that is compelling was a challenge.
WATERS: And where did you get these dog tags? They're not the dog tags from the actual person, are they?
BRODERICK: No, we bought an old World War II dog tag machine and Ricky made everyone of these tags himself.
WATERS: Well, it is a beautiful piece of work. I'm just wondering if either of you are veterans and if you were inspired in that way at all.
BRODERICK: I spent 19 months in Vietnam with the Marine Corp.
WATERS: And you carried that whole experience with you through this project.
BRODERICK: Absolutely.
PHILLIPS: Wow. So, when you walk through and you actually see not only the sculpture, but your sculpture, what's going through your mind?
BRODERICK: Well, I knew a lot of the guys that are up there and that's a, that's a good reason to begin it and that's a constant memory.
WATERS: Was there any resistance at all? As you may know, the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington met with some resistance before it finally was realized.
BRODERICK: No, we had a lot of help. A lot of our people at the museum turned to on this project, everyone, really, and a lot of others came to our aid and worked very hard on this for a long time.
PHILLIPS: Ricky, any personal attachments for you?
STEINBOCK: Oh, I had a few friends of mine from high school who died in Vietnam and it was eerie to make their dog tags. But I sat there day after day through the holidays and, it was just so important. You just focus on a mission. And each tag has a name, the date of their casualty and their branch of service.
WATERS: And we understand there is a way we can ask viewers to sponsor a dog tag? What's that about?
STEINBOCK: If someone would be kind enough to sponsor a dog tag, for $25, what we'll do is I'll make an actual duplicate of the dog tag and mount it on a poster, of a painting, that's in our museum.
WATERS: And the best way to do that online is at www.NVVAM.org?
STEINBOCK: Yes, it is.
WATERS: That's the best way. That's www, again, .NVV (as in Victor) AM.org.
PHILLIPS: At the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, Ned Broderick and Rick Steinbock. Thank you so much for being with us this morning.
BRODERICK: Thank you.
STEINBOCK: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: And as we go to break, we remember the American military personnel still listed as missing in action.
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