By Todd DePastino
For more than thirty years, Vietnam veteran and artist Thomas Morrissey has been trying to build a proper Vietnam War memorial in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island. The effort has moved through hopeful starts, unexpected setbacks, new committees, and long bureaucratic stalls. But Tom has kept pushing. He’s determined that Rhode Island’s Vietnam generation won’t go without the public recognition they earned.
Tom recently shared a note with us that captures his frustration and resolve. Back in the early 1980s, he and a small group of Rhode Island veterans had a memorial plan ready to go: a design, a foundry, a chosen site, even a fundraising strategy. Then the city and state awarded the site to another project, and the committee dissolved. Years later, Tom tried again, only to hit more dead ends. A legislative commission formed in 2022 was supposed to study the issue, report recommendations in early 2023, and wind down that spring. The only thing that happened was the winding down. No public findings ever appeared.
Tom’s persistence is rooted in experience. In 2002, he built a major granite sculpture for the 3 February Park in Huế, Vietnam. No engineer was required. The piece has already survived multiple floods. He says he can do the same work in Rhode Island, and he’s been in touch with New England foundries ready to help. His message is simple: he’s willing, the foundries are willing, and it’s long past time to make the memorial happen.
The absence of a dedicated Vietnam War memorial in Providence stands out. More than 20,000 Rhode Islanders served in Vietnam. Two hundred nine never made it home. About 1,600 are still listed as missing. Across the state you can find small plaques and local markers, but Providence’s central Memorial Park—home to its World War I, World War II, and Korean War monuments—still has no place that tells the story of those who served in Vietnam. A recent Rhode Island Monthly article traced the hang-up to disagreements over location, a lack of an approved site plan, and the quiet collapse of that 2022 commission. A letter to the editor in the East Bay RI newspapers echoed the same concern: Rhode Island should have a proper public place to honor its Vietnam veterans.
The VBC doesn’t take positions on legislation or public policy, but we do believe in keeping our community informed and connected. Many Rhode Islanders, veterans and civilians alike, care deeply about this effort. If they feel moved to follow the story, learn more, or lend their voice, they should know how to do so. For now, Tom continues his work, still pushing, still hopeful. As he put it plainly: “The foundries are ready. I’m ready. Let’s get it done.” Email Tom about the project if you’d like to support it: VNforRI@gmail.com
