Every true American knows the history of the Vietnam War, and what it meant to the nation. Known to many as the Second Indochina War, the war lasted for more than 10 years, and it shaped the lives of many people in the country back then. Millions served in the War, and while America suffered heavy casualties and was ultimately pushed out of the country, the sacrifices of those cannot be understated. Many died in the war, and despite the dogged conditions and the tropical areas where the war was fought, the men persevered and were able to play an important role in the conflict.

The services and heroics of the people who served in the US armed serves were immortalized forever when the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was constructed. The Memorial serves as a monument for remembrance of the people who died in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Thousands were unaccounted for in the war as well, so the Memorial also serves as a reminder of the many services of the nameless.

Needless to say, the responsibility for the design of the Memorial was one of the biggest decisions. The contract was eventually given to Cooper-Lecky Architects, one of the most influential firms at the time. During its 30 years of existence, the Cooper-Lecky Architects was home to many architects who ended up going on to create their own architectural firms. Headed by William Prescott Lecky and Kent Cooper, it was widely regarded as one of the most important firms in the world of architecture.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and has the names of all the soldiers who were accounted for during the war. The memorial has names of all those people who were declared dead, instead of being killed in action. People who died due to accidents, murder, heart attacks, or any other causes were listed on the memorial.

William Prescott Lecky is the key designer and the Architect-of-Record for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. He has worked on numerous projects and has an impressive portfolio to match, including work at the White House, the Blair House, and the Vice-President’s House. Lecky is the author of a book titled, Designing for Remembrance: An Architectural Memoir.

Lecky has appeared in numerous newspaper articles on the Washington Post, as well as on television interviews and documentaries for the Discovery Channel, the Smithsonian Channel, NPR, NBC, CBS, ABC and several private production companies.

William Prescott Lecky’s contribution to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wasn’t his sole work in designing memorials; he also worked on the design of the Korean War Veterans Memorial and was the Chief Architect for that. The work done by the William Prescott Lecky is iconic and has played a key role in shaping the memorial architecture throughout Washington. Lecky has received a National AIA Design Award, the Presidential Design Award, multiple regional AIA Design Awards, The AIA 25 Year Award, several Government Workplace Design Awards, the Virginia Distinguished Achievement Award, and the AIA Silver Medal.