This unbelievable ceiling art installation features 58,307 duplicated dog tags of veterans killed in action during the Vietnam War.
The Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State, now temporarily houses a military remembrance installation titled, “Above & Beyond”, suspended from the ceiling high above the escalators. Looking up, visitors can readily see 58,307 dog tags representing those killed in action during the Vietnam War. The only other Vietnam War memorial commemorating this ultimate sacrifice is The Wall in Washington D.C.
On temporary loan from the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, this 13-ft by 32-ft installation serves as a powerful visual reminder of the war's casualties. Additionally, it includes one black dog tag representing soldiers who later died from medical conditions related to their service time there.
Each dog tag is stamped with the service member’s name, casualty date and military branch. The dog tags within the installation are arranged by casualty date.
“Above & Beyond” was commissioned by the National Veterans Art Museum and is part of its permanent collection. It was created over a two-year period by: Rick Steinbock, Ned Broderick, Joe Fornelli and Mike Helbing. Each tag was minted using a vintage World War I-era machine called a Graphotype (see immediately below).

Accompanying this reporter to view the installation were two Vietnam vets from Naperville, IL. Philip L. Maughan served in Vietnam with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and Jan A. Schrader, who served with the First Marine Air Wing. Both are active members in their local VFW -- Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Vietnam veterans, Jan A. Schrader (L) and Philip L. Maughan (R) flank a 3-D display illustrating how each dog tag is suspended within the completed installation.
Both men used the electronic search feature near the installation to find names of the comrades they lost and to express fond memories of those individuals.
“It’s a very moving experience to view this display and try to encapsulate it into words,” Jan observed. “To think each small metal tag represents a human life lost, and its ripple effect, it’s overwhelming.”
And as Phil gazed at the library visitors riding up and down the escalators going about their business, he noted philosophically, “Sad to see they’re not even looking up.”
So, if you have a chance to go to the Harold Washington library anytime soon for a book, a lecture, or a meeting, please remember to take a few moments and just gaze upwards as you ride those escalators. “Above & Beyond” is quite literally a moving way to remember and reflect upon what those words truly mean, not only to you but to the world. ###
