Veterans celebrate rededication of Vietnam War memorial in Milwaukee 

Every October, members of the Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1 gather at a memorial on Milwaukee’s lakefront to read off the names of fallen members. David Weber, a member of the chapter who served in the Vietnam War nearly six decades ago, was at the Southeastern Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day during a rededication ceremony at the site. He hopes to one day get a brick inscribed with his name at the memorial. “I’m hoping, like 30 years from now, my kids can come down and they’ll look at it and take a minute to just remember that we were vets and we did our duty,” Weber said. Understanding Wisconsin, Together. WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter. URL This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Email Subscribe The memorial was first dedicated in 1991. It’s just outside of the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center in Veterans Park. There are three tall columns — 22, 26 and 30 feet high — to represent those who were killed in action, prisoners of war or those missing in action and those who returned home. The memorial also has benches for each of the five branches of the military. There are nearly 3,000 bricks inscribed with veteran’s names at the site — the inner bricks are for Vietnam War veterans, while the outer bricks are for veterans of other wars. But over the years, those bricks and other concrete features at the site have suffered through “deterioration and fading .” A restoration project, part of a $14 million fundraising campaign from the War Memorial Center, addressed some of those issues. During Wednesday’s ceremony, retired Maj. Gen. Brian Winski, the president and CEO of the War Memorial Center, said the project included replacement of all of the bricks and a new solid base at the site. “This is going to last generations and generations,” Winski said. Winski said the goal was to get the renovation project completed quickly. “Our veterans, our Vietnam veterans, are coming up on 80 years old,” Winski said. “So we wanted this to be done, set, established, as soon as we possibly could so they can kind of use it as a cathartic venue for linking up with buddies or talking about with their families what they did in Vietnam.” Before the ceremony began, Vietnam War veteran Kurt Baker of Milwaukee was looking for his brick. He had already seen the names of a few people he knew — some who were still alive, and others who had passed away. “It’s important to us,” Baker said about the memorial. “We’re not going to be around for a whole lot longer, but it’s still important to us.” Baker said the renovations looked good. He also said it was important to remind others of past events. “If you forget it, you’re going to repeat it,” he said. “It’s an old adage, and it’s still accurate.” Weber, who lives in Waukesha, said he spends some time at the site when he’s at events with the chapter in the area. “I always stop and watch and just walk over and say a little prayer for all my buddies,” Weber said. Weber said it was difficult for him returning back home from the war — he wouldn’t even tell people he was a veteran of the Vietnam War. “So coming down here for something like this and have something like this built is real, real special,” Weber said. Shorewood native Tom Hayes’ brother died while serving in the Vietnam War in 1969. Hayes called the renovation “beautiful.” He said his brother would be happy to see it. “He would be so proud and happy that that people are still remembering his service and his time spent protecting freedom,” Hayes said. Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. Related Stories Wingtip from wreck of fighter plane flown by ace pilot Richard Bong brought to Wisconsin Eau Claire documentary celebrates 50 years of Hmong resettlement Wisconsin Persian Gulf Tribute offers place to honor, educate and heal ‘Portraits of Service’ exhibit highlights Wisconsin veterans and their stories Wisconsin author brings Korean War veterans’ stories out of the shadows