Vietnam War Memorial Plaque Installed at Arlington City Hall

Published on May 19, 2026

A bronze plaque honoring 28 Arlington natives who lost their lives in the Vietnam War is now on display at its new home at Arlington City Hall, fulfilling a promise first made more than 50 years ago.

Titled “Lest We Forget,” the plaque honors 28 men who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. Beneath the heading “In Memory of The Fallen,” the inscription memorializes the young men who died and acknowledges “the families that sacrificed their greatest treasure in the cause of freedom.” The plaque was first unveiled by the Arlington Historical Society at Veterans Park on Veterans Day in 2024 before being displayed at the Fielder Museum and now placed in its permanent public home.

The new marker replaces Arlington’s earliest known Vietnam memorial, which dates to Memorial Day 1973, when a small brass plaque was presented to Mayor Tom Vandergriff. Though once displayed in the former Arlington Central Library, the original plaque was later misplaced until it was rediscovered in 2022 in storage at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library. Upon review, the plaque was found to be in poor condition and missing several names, prompting the decision to create an updated and more accurate plaque.

Historians researched service records, military ranks and dates, correcting earlier omissions and confirming Arlington ties. The research, which is now preserved by the Arlington Historical Society, includes documentation, photographs, and correspondence that sheds new light on those memorialized by the plaque.  This effort was assisted by Geraldine Mills from the Arlington Historical Society and Debbie Sterba, District Records Management Officer with Arlington ISD.

The plaque can be viewed in the first floor lobby at Arlington City Hall, 101 W. Abram St., during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.