[SAMWolf]

They are in chronological order, according to the date of casualty within each day, the names are alphabetized. For the dead, the date of casualty is the date they were wounded (received in combat) or injured (received in an accident); for the missing, the date they were reported to be missing.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Oh, I see. Thanks so much for the info, Sam.

[Alberta's Child]

That explains it -- thanks a million.

I guess the wall is divided into two main sections -- everything up to 1969 on one side and everything up to 1975 on the other? I seem to remember seeing those two years posted at the right-hand side of each section.

My Canadian friend wondered why I was so subdued while we were there -- he asked if I knew anyone whose name was on the wall.

I told him I was subdued because as an American with a bit of historical perspective I was too cynical to spend much time there in the right frame of mind. In my opinion, a more appropriate Vietnam War "memorial" would have had statues of Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara in a hollow pit in the ground -- and visitors would be invited on a daily basis to bury them in crap up to their armpits.