Groundbreaking ceremony held for new monument honoring Vietnam War veterans

JEFFERSONTOWN, Ky. (WAVE) - A new monument dedicated to those who fought in the Vietnam War is going up at Veterans Memorial Park in Jeffersontown.

There was a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday for the new Tri Ân Monument. “Tri Ân” means “deep gratitude” in the Vietnamese language.

It will be a special place to honor the tremendous sacrifices of both the American and South Vietnamese soldiers made during the Vietnam War.

“This is one time that another country is doing a memorial in the United States thanking our soldiers and all of the people across the world that fought for the freedom in Vietnam,” Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf said.

The monument was designed by an architect from Slovenia. It will be made from over 270 tons of specially carved granite that was shipped here from Central Vietnam.

The project has been in the works for the past nine years and construction begins on Monday.