After watching the film The Deer Hunter, Vietnam veteran Jan Scruggs decided that his fellow soldiers needed a tangible symbol of recognition from America of their service and sacrifice. By 1979 a memorial fund was formed, and in 1980 land in Constitution Gardens was authorized for the memorial placement. A design competition was announced, and 21-year-old Yale architecture student Maya Lin earned the unanimous selection. , Honoring the men and women who served in the controversial Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chronologically lists the names of 58,318 Americans who gave their lives in service to their country., While The Wall itself has garnered much attention, other features of the memorial site include The Three Serviceman statue, the Vietnam Women's Memorial, the In Memory plaque, and a flagpole that flies both the U.S. and the MIA-POW flag..