Three Soldiers (statue)

Did You Know?

• The design of Three Soldiers was copyrighted by Hart and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
• Reproductions were sold on t-shirts, keychains, and snowglobes.
• Hart donated his share of the profits to a non-profit that provides name rubbings to families of veterans.

History

Negative reactions to Maya Lin's design for the Memorial wall led several Congressmen to complain, and Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt refused to issue a building permit. Frederick Hart, the highest ranked sculptor in the competition, was commissioned to create a sculpture to appease those wanting a more traditional approach. In a New York Times editorial, Vietnam veteran Tom Carhart argued that without a heroic sculptural element, the abstract design would overemphasize the shame and sorrow of the war.

Lin was furious at the addition, calling it a coup unrelated to how many veterans liked or disliked her piece; she stated she had received no adverse letters from veterans. Hart's addition was placed at a distance from the wall to minimize impact on her design. Hart saw his task as preserving and enhancing the wall's elegant simplicity while creating a sculpture that evoked the experience and service of the Vietnam veteran. The three men are purposely identifiable as Hispanic, White, and African-American to portray major ethnic groups in U.S. combat personnel.

The figures were based on seven actual young men, including two active-duty Marines. The sculpture was Hart's first major work in bronze, made using the lost wax technique.

Concept

Hart wrote that he saw the wall as a sea of sacrifice, and placed the figures upon its shore, gazing upon it, standing vigil, reflecting the human face and heart. The figures wear uniforms and carry equipment of war; they are young, and the contrast between their youth and weapons underscores the poignancy of their sacrifice. There is physical contact and a sense of unity that bespeaks bonds of love and sacrifice, yet each is alone; their strength and vulnerability are both evident.

The statue and the wall appear to interact, with the soldiers looking in solemn tribute at the names of their fallen comrades. Hart's assistant Jay Hall Carpenter wrote that a full-size mockup was carried around the memorial site until the perfect spot was found, where the sculpture appeared to be looking over a sea of the fallen. Hart said he would put the folds of those fatigue jackets and pants up against the folds of any medieval angel.