The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the most popular attraction in Washington D.C. but the controversial design was not universally accepted by many of the nation’s veterans of that conflict or their families when the monument was first dedicated and opened for public viewing in November of 1982.  Designed by architectural student Maya Lin, the polished and engraved marble slabs were derisively referred to simply as “the wall” among some quarters, lending further credence to the notion among many of the participants of the military campaign in Southeast Asia that they’d been given short shrift yet again.

To give the memorial some solidified focus and a more obvious sense of honor, noted sculptor Frederick E. Hart was commissioned in 1983 to create a statue which would draw a visitor’s attention to the real purpose of that honor; the men who served, and the sacrifices they were called upon to make at such a young age.  Though Mr. Hart was thrilled to participate in this noble task, his workload was such that some careful balancing was required to accommodate the request.  Many of his long-time customers willingly deferred projects so he could devote his full attention to this endeavor.

After sketching several different designs Frederick decided that the concept could best be served by multiple figures representing a trio of prototypical infantrymen.  Models were hired, to be clad in the appropriate uniforms and equipment, and photographed from every conceivable angle to assist him in placing and posing the sculptures in a pleasing, yet dignified posture.  Armed with hundreds of still photographs and several hours of videotape, Mr. Hart first created the figures individually as clay miniatures (called maquettes) and adjusted each ‘soldier’ for artistic impact while maintaining a convincing realism.

Not necessarily deliberately or consciously, the figure in the vanguard seems to represent a young platoon leader, bare-headed, clad in a flak vest and armed with only a holstered service pistol.  At his right wearing a boonie hat and shouldering a pig, stands an infantry squad’s machine-gunner, a 100-rd teaser belt draped over each shoulder.  Left of the el-tee an “11-Bravo” (O310/0311 in the Marine Corps), M-16A1 in hand and wearing his ‘lucky towel’, guards that flank.  Grunts all, the faces reflect the “thousand-meter stare” so prevalent among troops who’ve seen too much of the bush for far too long.

With the basic concept finalized, Frederick created a series of cast-bronze maquettes in ever-increasing scales.  Each of these small sculptures helped to evolve the tribute and fine-tune the presentation’s impact and visual symmetry.  Minor repositioning of the figures’ limbs and some small changes to their stances and to their accoutrements with each subsequent maquette resulted in the final permutation which was given production approval late in the year.  To create the dramatic effect necessary, Mr. Hart elected to cast the sculpture in 7:6 scale, substantially larger than the full-size figures themselves.

Multi-piece molds were created from high-temperature ceramic material and the figures were cast in hot bronze in sub-assembly fashion.  Each component was individually polished and finished, then brazed together with a torch.  All the welding joints were then ground down and dressed out, resulting in seemingly seamless construction.  The completed figures would ultimately be mounted on a single slab of smooth, semi-polished granite prior to the public unveiling of the sculpture in November 1984 amid a flurry of fanfare among veterans, veterans’ groups, military units, and the usual coterie of political dignitaries including President Reagan.  The sculpture is located opposite to the wall itself, with the soldiers positioned as it they were looking for their own names engraved there.

Frederick’s interpretation was an immediate hit and the immense popularity helped to coalesce the entire memorial’s purpose and rekindle the respect for Vietnam veterans among the population at-large that had been lacking in some quarters for many years.  Those who had held the original stand-alone marble design in contempt began to proudly refer to the memorial as “The Wall”, and at that point the healing of their, and the nation’s wounds truly began.  Even today, amidst the myriad of landmarks and tourist attractions in Washington, thousands make the memorial a “must-see” when touring the nation’s capitol.

            Monogram’s “Three Fighting Men” kit is of ‘Snap-Tite’ design, featuring twenty-six parts molded in a copper-colored, metallic-swirled plastic.  An instruction pamphlet offers a recommended assembly sequence and some interesting data concerning the sculpture and Frederick E. Hart himself.  No decals are provided as none are required.

            The moldings are well done and the flash-free parts fit together adequately for a Snap-Tite, though less so for a serious model.  The two-piece arms are designed to be assembled then trapped between the respective torso halves.  Large pegs at the bottom of each jungle boot correspond to holes in the base, ensuring proper alignment when the figures are mounted.

            The faces and bared arms are well sculpted though some of the fingers need some minor reshaping to make them convincing.  Assembly seams through the heads will make re-contouring the hair a necessity, along with the 7.62 ammo belts carried by the machine-gunner.  The molded dog-tags require some definition and enhancement as well.

            The weapons and equipment carried by each figure are for the most part correct, though some prominent details are missing from the M-60 machinegun and the rifle (more on this later).  The flak vests and slant-pocket jungle fatigues are spot on, being specifically designed for the war in Vietnam.  Likewise, the boonie hat is also well depicted.

            This kit seems to be based on Mr. Hart’s first bronze-cast maquette and as such, there are some minor differences between it and the actual sculpture on display at the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Washington.  Not to detract from the model, I note this only to present an accurate assessment of what this kit is.  The scale is listed as 1:10 and that figure seems correct.