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This rendering shows what the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Myrtle Beach will look like.
Terry Massey/Staff
An enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 turned out for the Jan. 7 groundbreaking ceremony of the city’s Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at Warbird Park in The Market Common.
Terry Massey/Staff
Episode 3181 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial being built at Myrtle Beach, SC. The featured story appeared in the Post and Courier of Myrtle Beach and is titled: ‘For all that they went through’: Myrtle Beach begins building Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. It was submitted by Terry Massey [tmassey@postandcourier.com]
Massey reported that more than fifty years after the Vietnam War ended, the enduring strength and sacrifice of the Vietnam Veteran generation were powerfully honored during a Jan. 7, 2026 groundbreaking ceremony for Myrtle Beach’s Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at Warbird Park in The Market Common. An enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 gathered not only to mark the start of construction, but to deliver a long-overdue message to those who served: welcome home.
The memorial, featuring an eight-foot multi-sided wall, reflecting pool, statues, engravings, and illuminated presidential quotes, is designed as a space for remembrance, reflection, and education. Organizers hope to have much of it completed by Memorial Day weekend, underscoring the community’s commitment to honoring veterans whose service was too often met with silence or hostility when they returned.
Retired Air Force Col. Thomas “Buddy” Styers, a Vietnam veteran himself, gave voice to the shared experience of that generation—men and women who served with courage abroad and endured misunderstanding at home. His emotional recollection of returning through a hostile airport captured the resilience of a generation that bore its burdens quietly and continued to serve their communities afterward. Styers later played a key role in transforming the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base into The Market Common, ensuring military history was preserved for future generations.
The memorial’s rapid progress—from planning to groundbreaking in just one year—reflects a unified community effort, supported by city leaders, veterans’ groups, volunteers, and donors. As city officials noted, this memorial is a small but meaningful way to honor a great generation whose service, sacrifice, and perseverance helped shape the nation and deserve lasting recognition.
Listen to Episode 3181 and discover more about the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial being built at Myrtle Beach, SC.
