Documenting the American South

Monument Name

Henderson County Vietnam Memorial, Hendersonville

Type

Marker

Subjects

Vietnam War, 1960-1975

Creator

Jerry Gordan, Designer

City

Hendersonville

County

Henderson

Description

The front of the two-toned gray granite monument shows a rifle embedded upright in the ground with a forage cap hanging on the gun’s stock. The left side of the monument in the lighter gray is carved in the shape of North and South Vietnam. The back of the marker has the names of 16 Henderson County men who died in the war. This marker is one of nine memorials honoring Henderson County citizens that form “The Honor Walk” on the grounds of the old Henderson County Courthouse.

Images: List of 16 Henderson County men who died in the war | Designer of the memorial

Inscription

Front: IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO SERVED, / ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO GAVE ALL / DONATED BY THOSE WHO STILL CARE / DESIGNED BY JERRY GORDON / FEB. 8, 1947 – OCT. 4, 1995

Rear: [List of sixteen names]

Custodian

Henderson County

Dedication Date

Mid 1990’s, most likely after 1995. Rededication: April 13, 2008

Decade

1990s

Geographic Coordinates

35.314440 , -82.460170 View in Geobrowse

Supporting Sources

"Hendersonville Vietnam Memorial," The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.org, (accessed October 12, 2015) Link

Henderson County Heritage Museum, Hendersonville, NC, (accessed October 3, 2022) Link

Kelly, Leigh. “Courthouse Ceremony Pays Tribute to Nation’s War Dead,” BlueRidgeNow.com, Times-News Online, April 14, 2008, (accessed October 1, 2019) Link

Schulman, Mark. “Courthouse Commemorates Veterans,” BlueRidgeNow.com, Times-News Online, April 10, 2008, (accessed October 1, 2015) Link

Public Site

Yes

Materials & Techniques

Granite

Monument Dedication and Unveiling

The original dedication was held in the mid-1990’s but Sunday afternoon, April 13, 2008, saw this memorial and eight other markers honoring Henderson County war dead dedicated or rededicated. This ceremony was the culmination of a three day event to celebrate the ten million dollar restoration of the historic Henderson County Courthouse and its rededication as the home of the Henderson County Heritage Museum.

The Hendersonville Community Band played patriotic tunes while the crowd of over 200 sang along, prayed and listened to speakers and watched veterans lay wreaths on monuments honoring the fallen in all wars in American history. “What mean these stones?” asked George A. Jones, chairman of the Henderson County Heritage Museum Board. “We have erected them in honor of all of these. This should never be made in a light-hearted or frivolous manner. There’s too much blood, too much sacrifice, too much death they represent,” he answered to his own question. The Disabled American Veteran Veterans, Shytle-Beddingfield Chapter placed a wreath on this monument during the ceremony.

Location

The monument is located by the Henderson County Heritage Museum (Old Henderson County Courthouse) at 1 Historic Courthouse Square, Hendersonville NC. Several monuments are nearby, including Revolutionary Soldiers Memorial, Confederate Soldier Memorial, Union Soldiers Monument, War Memorial, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan monuments.

Landscape

The marker stands on the lawn in front of the Historic Henderson County Courthouse.

Rededicated

Yes