In November this year, the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. will be 25 years old, and as real-world celebrations are held-- a Vietnam Veterans' War Memorial Wall simulator will open to Second Life residents.

The project, called The Wall in Second Life, is being developed by Meme Science, LLC , an SL development firm, and contracted by the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Fund, Inc. (VVMF.) "We are very excited, and love the idea of introducing the monument to a newer generation. Education is our main focus," said Holly Rotondi with the VVMF.

Meme Science has been active in SL for about two years, and President Evian Argus (Robert Egan in Real Life) was elected President of the group in August.

"We feel privileged to be selected as the firm that will build a replica of the Vietnam Veteran’s War Memorial Wall in the Second Life metaverse." he said. "It will be a welcome challenge to virtually recreate the complex architectural design structure originally created by Maya Ying Lin. Our goal is to try to capture some of the experience and heart felt emotions that can only be felt by visiting the real life Memorial Wall in Washington DC, while at the same time bringing attention and honor to those Vietnam Veterans that died or missing giving service to our country on this the 25th anniversary of the Wall’s dedication."

The project was initiated when an anonymous caller asked the VVMF if a SL replica of the Memorial Wall would be an appropriate tribute. "It would be very appropriate to introduce to a whole new generation, those who made the sacrifice and served their country, and paid with the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, all the names on the wall," Rotundi said. "We wanted to help in any way we could," she said. The VVMF put Meme in touch with the database of names, allowing the firm to create the textures for the build. They will also advertise in the news, the Second Life project during the week-long commemoration in November. "We are definitely ready to share the news (of the SL wall,)" she said.

The Real Life memorial was designed by then Yale University undergraduate Maya Ying Lin whose design was chosen from among 1,421 entries in a national design competition open to U.S. citizens. Dedicated on November 13, 1982, the Memorial Wall is made of two black granite blocks from southern India, 246 feet 9 inches long. Each wall is made of 72 panels, which are 10.1 feet high at the apex, and taper to 8 inches at their extremities. They meet and point to the northeast corners of the Washing Monument and Lincoln Memorial. To date, the wall is etched with 58,256 names, of which approximately 1200 of these are listed as missing (MIAs, POWs, and others).