The Nation - News from May 8, 1988
An estimated 18,000 people, including Vietnam veterans, their families and the relatives and friends of missing and dead soldiers watched as dignitaries officially opened the Illinois Vietnam Veteran Memorial at the stately Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield. The landmark, located near the Lincoln Tomb, is made up of five sloping, black granite walls inscribed with the names of the 2,956 servicemen from Illinois killed or missing in action in Southeast Asia. The $1.25 million for the memorial was raised through bake sales, carnivals, car washes and small contributions, along with $485,000 in state funds.
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