The Wall commemorates the more than 58,000 Americans killed during the war. It consists of three separate parts: the Three Soldiers statue, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Construction began in 1982 and was completed in 1993. Over 3 million people visit the memorial every year. $8.4 million was raised from private donations to build the memorial. A 21-year-old architecture student at Yale who made it as a school project designed the memorial. The Three Soldiers statue was unveiled in 1984 to give the memorial a more traditional look. The Vietnam Women’s Memorial was finished in 1993.