In 1973, the POWs of the Vietnam War finally returned home—thanks in large part to the courage and determination of their wives. Led by Sybil Stockdale, wife of Admiral James Stockdale, these women formed The League of Wives of American Vietnam Prisoners of War and launched an unyielding campaign to secure the humane treatment and eventual release of their husbands. Their remarkable story is powerfully told in Heath Hardage Lee’s book, The League of Wives: The Untold Story of the Women Who Took on the U.S. Government to Bring Their Husbands Home.

For The League of Wives Memorial—honoring Sybil Stockdale, a longtime Coronado resident, and the movement she helped lead—Slatoff and Frederickson had the privilege of speaking with many of these extraordinary women and working closely with Lee’s extensive research. As the first public monument dedicated to military spouses, the composition portrays Stockdale alongside three other women, reflecting the strength they found in unity—an enduring symbol of camaraderie, resolve, and quiet heroism.