Atlanta veterans step closer to Vietnam War Memorial in Piedmont Park

It's been years in the making, but a group of veterans here in Atlanta say they're one step closer to getting a Vietnam War Memorial built in Piedmont Park. 

The group Sons of Atlanta has been working to get the memorial built near the 14th Street entrance to Piedmont Park since 2015. 

"It's been a journey because we started the project to localize the memorials," Eldson McGhee with Sons of Atlanta said. 

The names of more than 240 Vietnam veterans from Atlanta and eight other cities in Fulton County, who never made it home, will be displayed on the wall to honor their service and sacrifice. 

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One of those will be Valerie Belt-Jones' brother Arthur. He died while serving in 1970 at the age of 19. 

"It's so enlightening to know that his ultimate sacrifice will not be in vain," Belt-Jones said. 

Council Member Michael Bond has been working with the group to have the memorial built. He says the council is expected to vote on an award to a contractor in the next two to four weeks. Construction will take anywhere from six to nine months to complete. 

"I think that if they had survived and came back to Atlanta, they would be working to make it a better city," McGhee said. 

The sons of Atlanta hope it will be ready by Memorial Day next year. 

"It gives a little comfort to me. I hate my parents are not here to see this," Belt-Jones added. 

The group also plans to put commemorative bricks leading up to the memorial where the public can include the name of a veteran. You can find out more about the project and how to purchase a brick here.