FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2000
Stamp News Release #00-008

AMERICA PAYS TRIBUTE TO VIETNAM VETERANS;

SELECTS VIETNAM MEMORIAL TO BE HONORED ON POSTAGE STAMP

WASHINGTON—The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, dedicated to the more than 58,000 Americans who died in the Vietnam War or are listed as missing, was commemorated today when a new postage stamp was unveiled by the U.S. Postal Service during a ceremony held at the Memorial located on the National Mall.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stamp was selected by the public during nationwide balloting in February 1999 as one of 15 commemorative stamps saluting the 1980s. The 1980s stamps will be issued tomorrow at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

"We take great pride in issuing this new Vietnam Veterans Memorial stamp," said Ken C. Weaver, Chief Postal Inspector, who unveiled the stamp for the Postal Service. "This stamp is for veterans everywhere; it's for the men and women . including many of our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and friends . who gave their lives to protect and serve others."

The Postal Service is one of the largest employers of veterans in the nation. At the end of last year we employed nearly 252,000 veterans, roughly 25 percent of our workforce.

Joining Weaver at the unveiling of the stamp were Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and Arnold Goldstein, superintendent of National Capital Parks-Central.

"The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has been a source of reflection and inspiration for millions of Americans. In choosing to commemorate this memorial, the Postal Service honors those who sacrificed for our nation and their families," said Senator Hagel.

Other stamps selected during 1980s balloting include Video Games, which received the most votes, Fall of the Berlin Wall, San Francisco 49ers, "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," Hostages Come Home, "The Cosby Show" (Hit Comedy), "Cats" (Musical Smash), Hip-hop Culture, Figure Skating, Personal Computers, Compact Discs, Cable TV, Space Shuttle Program and Cabbage Patch Kids.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was designed by Maya Lin and dedicated on November 13, 1982, during a weeklong national salute to Vietnam veterans.

While veterans spearheaded the campaign for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Scruggs conceived the idea in 1979 and served as president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., the nonprofit organization set up to build and maintain the Memorial. He headed up the effort that raised more than $8 million and saw the Memorial completed in three and a half years. More than four million people visit the Memorial each year.

The Celebrate The Century program honors some of the most significant people, places, events and trends of each decade of the 20th century. Over a two-year period the public was offered opportunities to vote for stamp subjects honoring the 1950s through the 1990s.

The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee recommends all stamp subjects and designs to the Postmaster General for final approval. The committee also selected the stamps to honor the 1900s through the 1940s.

Illustrated by Robert Rodriguez of Pasadena, Calif., and designed by Carl Herrman of Carlsbad, Calif., the 33-cent Vietnam Veterans Memorial stamp portrays a veteran touching "The Wall" that has inscribed on black granite the names of every comrade lost in America's longest war.

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