Hawthorne Park to Display Model of Vietnam Memorial

A half-scale model of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington will be displayed at Hawthorne Memorial Park for one week in August.

Hawthorne is the only Southern California site for the exhibit, which is being taken to cities across the country to commemorate the end of the Vietnam War 10 years ago. The exhibit is sponsored by the Hawthorne Veterans Council, a group representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and World War I veterans.

The model, made of black panels with the names of more than 58,000 Vietnam War dead, will be displayed 24 hours a day from Aug. 11 through Aug. 18, said Olin Lambert, council chairman.

Tom Quintana, a Vietnam veteran who is the city’s public information officer, estimated that more than 100,000 people will visit the exhibit, judging from the reception it has received in other cities.

Created by Vietnam Combat Veterans Limited, a nonprofit organization based in San Jose, the memorial model is 250 feet long and 6 feet tall at its highest point. Lambert said the V-shaped model, which includes the names of many servicemen from the South Bay, “has a great emotional impact.”

Although the city has pledged financial support in bringing the exhibit to Hawthorne, the Veterans Council is paying the $2,500 rental fee and related costs.