Angel Fire Memorial
Angel Fire Vietnam Veterans Memorial
In the 1960s, Victor Westphall (Doc) and his wife, Jeanne, purchased more than 800 acres of the Val Verde ranch near Angel Fire, NM, with the intention of building a resort complete with homes, a golf course, and ski slopes. Then on May 22, 1968, their eldest son, Lt. Victor David Westphall lll, was killed in an ambush in Con Thien, Vietnam just south of the DMZ. David Westphall was buried in the Santa Fe National Cemetery in early June 1968.
David’s mother, Jeanne, suggested using David’s life insurance money to build a chapel to honor the memory of their son and the fifteen men who died with him. Fueled by this inspiration, Doc drew out the initial sketches for the Chapel and submitted them to a local Santa Fe architect for final drafting. Construction of the Peace and Brotherhood Chapel began in September 1968. The vision for the Chapel soon expanded to commemorate the service and sacrifice of all Vietnam veterans.
The Chapel was the first major memorial created to honor the veterans of the Vietnam War. It was recognized the United States Congress as a “memorial of national significance” and served as inspiration for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
In 2017, the Department of Veterans’ Services took over management of the Memorial. Today, the Memorial includes a visitor center and museum, with a library of over 1,000 books and 2,000 photographs, memorabilia exhibits, touchable displays, artwork, and sculptures that provide a glimpse into the daily life of our troops. The Memorial also includes an amphitheater, a memorial walkway, memorial gardens, a Huey Helicopter display, and the gravesites of Doc and Jeanne. The Memorial also overlooks the Angel Fire State Veterans Cemetery, which opened in July 2020. Approximately 45,000 individuals come each year.
Angel Fire Vietnam Veterans Memorial
34 Country Club Rd.
Angel Fire, NM 87710
Angel Fire Vietnam Memorial Photo Gallery
Other Veteran Memorials & Monuments
Memorials & Monuments
| Veterans’ Memorial Plaque, Alamogordo, NM |
| Airborne Memorial Monument, Alamogordo, NM |
| Soldiers and Sailors Park, Albuquerque, NM |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, Albuquerque, NM |
| USS Bullhead Memorial Park, Albuquerque, NM |
| Bataan Memorial Park, Albuquerque, NM |
| Flame of Hope, Albuquerque Sunport, Albuquerque, NM |
| Veterans’ Memorial Park, Albuquerque, NM |
| Richard Rocco Memorial, Albuquerque, NM |
| Korean Veterans’ Memorial, Aztec, NM |
| Veterans’ Memorial Park, Artesia, NM |
| Soldiers Memorial Park, Belen, NM |
| Vietnam War Memorial, Bernalillo, NM |
| Bataan Memorial Bridge, Carlsbad, NM |
| Bataan Recreation Area, Carlsbad, NM |
| Town Triangle Veterans’ Flagpole, Clayton, NM |
| 356th Infantry Tablet/Bataan Corridor, Deming, NM |
| Veterans Park, Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, Deming, NM |
| Phillip Valdez Memorial Bridge, Espanola, NM |
| Veterans’ Memorial Wall, Espanola, NM |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Farmington, NM |
| All Veterans Memorial Plaza, Berg Park, Farmington, NM |
| Fort Stanton Employees Memorial (WWII), Fort Stanton, NM |
| Merchant Marine & Military Cemetery, Fort Stanton, NM |
| Hiroshi Miyamura Veterans’ Memorial, Gallup, NM |
| Navajo Code Talkers Memorial, Gallup, NM |
| Veterans’ Park and Memorial, Gallup, NM |
| Vietnam War Memorial Plaque, Gallup, NM |
| Glorieta Pass Battlefield, Glorieta, NM |
| Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Friendship Park, Grants, NM |
| Confederate Air Force Museum, Hobbs, NM |
| Jarales Veterans’ War Memorial, Jarales, NM |
| Veteran Memorial Overlook, Jemez Springs, NM |
| Veteran’s Memorial Park, Las Cruces, NM |
| Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, Las Cruces, NM |
| Veterans’ Park, Las Vegas, NM |
| WWII Gun Mount, Old Lincoln Courthouse, Lincoln, NM |
| New Mexico Veterans Memorial, Logan Cemetery, Logan, NM |
| Hildago County Veterans Memorial, Lordsburg, NM |
| Veterans Park, Lordsburg, NM |
| Veterans’ Monument (Ashley Pond), Los Alamos, NM |
| Daniel Fernandez Memorial Park, Los Lunas, NM |
| USMC Park (Ervell Guevara Park), Loving, NM |
| Khe Sanh Bridge, Paraje, NM |
| Veterans’ Memorial Plaque, St. Anthony’s Church, Pecos, NM |
| Veterans’ Memorial, Courthouse Square, Portales, NM |
| Veterans’ Memorial Building, Portales, NM |
| WWII Memorial, Ripley Park, Raton, NM |
| Colfax County Veteran’s Memorial, Raton, NM |
| Willie D. Martinez Memorial Bridge, Rio Arriba County, NM |
| Veterans Memorial Park, Rio Rancho, NM |
| Chaves County War Memorial, Roswell, NM |
| US Navy Anchor, Roswell, NM |
| German POW Iron Cross & POW/MIA Park, Roswell, NM |
| Wall of Honor, Capitol Rotunda, Santa Fe, NM |
| Bataan Memorial Building, Santa Fe, NM |
| New Mexico Veterans Services Memorial, Santa Fe, NM |
| National Guard & Bataan Memorial Museum, Santa Fe, NM |
| Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, NM |
| Soldiers’ Monument, Santa Fe Plaza, Santa Fe, NM |
| USS Santa Fe CL-60, Santa Fe, NM |
| Freddie I. Branch Bridge, Santa Cruz, NM |
| The Mormon Battalion Monument, Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM |
| Bataan Memorial Outdoor Classroom, Silver City, NM |
| Bataan Memorial, Taos Plaza, Taos, NM |
| Bataan Memorial Building, Taos Convention Center, Taos, NM |
| Veterans Memorial Park, Truth or Consequences, NM |
| Veteran’s Park, Tularosa, NM |
| New Mexico Vietnam Memorial, Vado, NM |
| Village Of Tijeras Vietnam Memorial, Tijeras, NM |
| Trinity Site (World War II), White Sands Proving Grounds, NM |
Memorial Highways
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, Interstate 10 (from AZ to TX) |
| Purple Heart Trail, Interstate 40 (from AZ to TX) |
| Bataan Veterans Memorial Highway, US Highway 70 (from Las Cruces to Alamogordo) |
| Navajo Code Talkers Highway, State Route 264 (from Ya-ta-Hey to Window Rock, AZ) |
| Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Highway, State Route 371 (from Farmington to Crownpoint) |
| Veterans Memorial Highway, State Route 599 (Santa Fe) |
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Blue Star Memorial Highways:
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Angel Fire Memorial Manager
D.B. Herbst
34 Country Club Rd.
Angel Fire, NM 87710
(575) 377-2293