Tri Ân Monument Construction Begins
The city of Jeffersontown broke ground on a new monument honoring Vietnam War veterans. The Tri-An monument will recognize the sacrifices made.
Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer joined local veterans for the ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park. “We left a piece of ourselves in Vietnam when we came back,†Retired Maj. Gen. Mike Davidson said. “But we brought back a piece of Vietnam with us, and it’s with us still every day in a very positive way.â€
The monument was the idea of a group of community members led by Yung Nguyen, an immigrant from Vietnam. In January 2017, Grega Vezjak’s design was selected in an international competition. Over 128 entries from 29 countries participated, making it one of the top 10 architecture competitions worldwide in 2016.
The winning design was selected through a vigorous process by a panel of judges to fulfill the criteria of creating a monument that is meaningful, unique, dramatic, and timeless. The design creates an environment that aids visitors in reflecting upon the triumphs and losses as well as the humanitarian efforts displayed during the war.
The monument will be made from granite sourced from South Vietnam. The pandemic and supply chain issues delayed shipments of the 270 tons of granite needed, but with the last 15 shipping containers recently arriving, construction is set to begin. The design features walls made from 36 solid granite blocks forming a half-entrenched courtyard.
