A Sculpture 18 Months in the Making
The centerpiece of the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a restored UH-1 Huey helicopter, with bronze statues inside and around it reenacting the rescue of a wounded soldier in combat. NCAG's Executive Director, Troy Muller, sculpted the scene, spending 18 months bringing it from concept to actualization.
Watch this video produced by the City of Papillion (PapioVision), for an in depth behind-the-scenes look at Troy's studio and follow the process: the sculpting, the detail work, and what creating this piece meant to him personally.
Three current-day airmen from the 55th Wing volunteered their time and likenesses as models for the statues, 3D scanned and photographed in Vietnam-era battle uniforms after a call for models went out through the Office of Public Affairs. New Century Art Guild sponsored the model shoot and is a major sponsor of the completed statuary.
Sgt Ricky Smith
SSgt Jared Rumsey
Maj Jonathan "Diva" Ruiz
You can read more about their story here >
The memorial officially opened June 6, 2024.
Visit the Memorial
The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial is open to the public at 11695 South 108th Street, Papillion, NE. Learn more at nvvmf.org.
Photo credit: Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial Website
