05/21/2026
There have long been many myths and misinformation circulated regarding the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the number of names on the Wall. Virtually every day you will see a graphic or a promotion material posted on social media that claim to show the number of names inscribed on the Wall.
Almost every one of those alleged numbers are wrong and never were right. In most cases exhaustive research for some of those reported numbers cannot reveal any factual resource to validate the number(s). One of the primary numbers that appear on a regular basis is 58,479, which is significantly higher that the real number verified by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and the Department of Defense. Other often quoted numbers are 58,220, 58,230, 58,320, 58,421, even 59,479.
For several years questions were raised about the true number of names on the Wall and at one point the VVMF had said the correct number was 58,318. With so many questions, the VVMF conducted an audit in 2019 with the assistance of DoD to determine what the correct number was.
The VVMF issued a final report on the audit in May 2019. The report reveal that there were 58,390 separate inscriptions on the Memorial. After subtracting names that had been inscribed a second time due to spelling errors, names that were inadvertently duplicated, and 32 names of individuals who actually did not die and were not POW/MIA, they removed 114 names for the count leaving the true total at 58,276.
There were 3 names added in 2020, and 2 names added in 2021 bringing the current total to 58,281. On May 12, 2026, the VVMF issued a press release that indicating the status of seven names on the Wall had been changed from MIA to KIA since their remains had been repatriated in 2025. There were no names added to the Memorial this year, so the official total remains at 58,281 listed as KIA or MIA on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Additionally, there has been a couple myths circulating on social media lately about women and civilians on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
One myth suggest there are more women on the Wall. In fact, two keynote speakers at separate veteran events incorrectly stated that there are 9 and 12 women listed on the Memorial. These speakers, both Vietnam veterans should have known the correct number or at least verified it through the online resources of the VVMF before including it in their remarks.
There are only 8 women on the Wall, 1 Air Force and 7 Army nurses. Army Lt. Sharon Ann Lane was the only nurse to die due to enemy action when the hospital she was working at was hit with rockets.
The other myth is that there is a civilian woman (Red Cross Donut Dollie) listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. That myth is also FALSE. There are NO Donut Dollies or any other civilians listed on the Memorial. According to Red Cross records, five Red Cross workers, including three Donut Dollies died in country during the Vietnam War. They are recognized on a plaque at the National Headquarters of the Red Cross.
Here is a link to the VVMFs audit report: https://www.vvmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Wall-Audit-Summary-FINAL.pdf
