Rising like a white sail against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, this chapel in the Moreno Valley is a quiet sanctuary of remembrance and the first major memorial in the country dedicated to Vietnam veterans.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire stands as a striking white monument against the dark, forested slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Designed with fluid, sweeping lines that mimic the surrounding ridges of the Moreno Valley, the Peace and Brotherhood Chapel rises like a sail of white concrete reaching toward the high-desert sky. Inside the chapel, the bright New Mexico sun is softened into quiet shadow, illuminated primarily by a narrow skylight that casts a slow-moving beam of light across the smooth, curved concrete walls. This sanctuary, built on a high ridge, offers a profound sense of stillness, where the wind rustling through the nearby piñon pines is often the only sound. The design draws visitors inward, creating an intimate space for contemplation and grief.
This sanctuary originated from a father’s profound personal tragedy. On May 22, 1968, Marine First Lieutenant David Westphall, the eldest son of Dr. Victor "Doc" Westphall and Jeanne Westphall, was killed alongside twelve of his fellow Marines in an enemy ambush near Con Thien, South Vietnam. In their grief, the Westphalls decided to use their son's military life insurance money to build a peace chapel on their Val Verde ranch. Doc Westphall drew the initial sketches, and construction began in September 1968. Dedicated on May 22, 1971, the chapel was the first major memorial in the United States dedicated to Vietnam veterans, predating the national memorial in Washington, D.C., by more than a decade. In 1987, the United States Congress recognized the site as a memorial of national significance. To ensure its long-term preservation, the family donated the property to the state of New Mexico in 2005, at which point it became a state park. In July 2017, management was transferred from State Parks to the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services, ensuring its continued operation as a sacred, non-recreational space.
Today, the memorial grounds include a comprehensive visitor center and museum that houses a library of over 1,000 books, 2,000 historic photographs, and emotional exhibits of personal artifacts, letters, and military gear. Outside, a key feature is the restored 1964 Bell UH-1D Huey helicopter, nicknamed "Viking Surprise". This helicopter, which saw extensive combat service in Vietnam with both the 121st Assault Helicopter Company "Soc Trang Tigers" and the 118th Assault Helicopter Company "Thunderbirds," was donated by the New Mexico National Guard in 1999. Visitors can walk the brick pathways of the Memorial Garden, where the names of fallen service members are inscribed, and visit the gravesites of Doc and Jeanne Westphall, who are buried on the grounds. The site also overlooks the Angel Fire State Veterans Cemetery, which opened in July 2020. Under the terms of the original transfer to the state, the Peace and Brotherhood Chapel remains open to the public twenty-four hours a day, offering a constant sanctuary of healing and remembrance.
The Peace and Brotherhood Chapel remains open 24 hours a day, but the visitor center and museum close in the late afternoon. Arrive by mid-afternoon to fully explore the indoor exhibits and the Huey helicopter. Because of the high elevation of the Moreno Valley, wind off the Sangre de Cristo Mountains can be brisk even in mid-summer, making a light jacket a necessary companion.