30
29
1
There are some truly amazing memorials out there, whether in Washington, DC, at a hometown location, OCONUS, or anywhere else around the world; many are epic works of art in their own right, some are well known (with a national or international audiences), while others quietly tell their story relatively unknown to the masses. So, what's your most memorable military or military-related display or memorial? Where's it located and how/why does it move you? What is it that you find most compelling about the memorial or location? What makes this particular place or time unique, interesting, thought-provoking, moving, or special to you? Please feel free to share your stories, photographs, links, video or anything else needed to tell your story. This should be both fun and informative, and we'll get to learn a bit of history, context, and a little bit about each other in the process; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!
Posted in these groups: 
Motivation
Memorial
Motivation Memorial
Edited 10 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 110
33
33
0
As the current Sergeant of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier my vote is resoundingly.....The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This naitonal shrine is a living testament to the dedication of every current and former service member. It is both a Memorial and Gravesite in one. The stone of the Tomb is from the same quarry as the stone of the Lincoln Monument. It is an honor to watch Sentinels uphold the standards, traditions, and esprit de corp of the military.
(33)
(0)
MSG William Wold
2013 I was able to go to Hawaii where my step son is stationed as an officer in the Air Force. I stayed in his condo, had a free uniformed chauffer! Even got booked on not only a special full harbor tour but the the Arizona. Also got the tour of the Missouri. The HAM radio club I used to belong to had a special event radio contact on the Missouri the year before she left Bremerton, WA for Hawaii, which was really special then.
I had the privilege of watching that Tomb of the unknown Soldier ceremony this past Thanksgiving. I am in awe.
Also long overdue was the visit to the Vietnam Wall. My best High School friend is on there , Paul D Kreger, Panel 02W Line 108. 1ST BN, 7TH CAV RGT, 1 CAV DIV. KIA Feb 1972. I had only found out a few days before he was KIA that he was even in country as I was. But I was too late to make arrangements to see him
He was one year behind me in school. He wasn't supposed to be there. He was supposed to have graduated and had a college scholarship for baseball. But he stayed late the day before graduation to take an English test, and missed the test by one point. ONE POINT, therefore he didn't graduate!
Oh I visit his grave in my old home town on his birthday in April, but had yet to visit the Wall..
Nothing can prepare you for the emotions that come up at the Wall. There is so much energy there, from those that are there from when you are, the ones that have visited in the past, and the names; almost live spirits that are on the wall..
So I guess I have to say that the "wall" is not in terms of "favorite" But my most important to me. For my friend to be remembered of the ultimate sacrifice he made. Sadly, we do not know the name (S) of the Unknown Soldier and I totally respect the care in preserving the honoring of the soldiers known only to God.
I had the privilege of watching that Tomb of the unknown Soldier ceremony this past Thanksgiving. I am in awe.
Also long overdue was the visit to the Vietnam Wall. My best High School friend is on there , Paul D Kreger, Panel 02W Line 108. 1ST BN, 7TH CAV RGT, 1 CAV DIV. KIA Feb 1972. I had only found out a few days before he was KIA that he was even in country as I was. But I was too late to make arrangements to see him
He was one year behind me in school. He wasn't supposed to be there. He was supposed to have graduated and had a college scholarship for baseball. But he stayed late the day before graduation to take an English test, and missed the test by one point. ONE POINT, therefore he didn't graduate!
Oh I visit his grave in my old home town on his birthday in April, but had yet to visit the Wall..
Nothing can prepare you for the emotions that come up at the Wall. There is so much energy there, from those that are there from when you are, the ones that have visited in the past, and the names; almost live spirits that are on the wall..
So I guess I have to say that the "wall" is not in terms of "favorite" But my most important to me. For my friend to be remembered of the ultimate sacrifice he made. Sadly, we do not know the name (S) of the Unknown Soldier and I totally respect the care in preserving the honoring of the soldiers known only to God.
(4)
(0)
SSG Steven Borders
That is one of the most humbling experiences I have every witnessed. The amount of dedication you and all your troops commit to this duty is amazing. I have the utmost respect for what you guys do.
I am glad I got to take my father there MSgt (Join to see). It is something I will not forget. Hooah!
I am glad I got to take my father there MSgt (Join to see). It is something I will not forget. Hooah!
(1)
(0)
(1)
(0)
Suspended Profile
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Bell Huey UH-1</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">D Helicopter </span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Tail # 68-15543 Dustoff / Medivac Markings. Served with</span></font><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">o 68th Assault Helicopter Co "Thunderbirds" Vietnam 8/1969-11/1970</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">o 118th Assault Helicopter Co "Top Tigers" Vietnam 12/1970-2/1971</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">o University of Michigan Naval Research Lab 5/1971-12/1971</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">o 421st Medical Co Medivac Germany 1/1972-12/1975</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">o (Retired) American Legion Post 139, 104 Old Milford Road (SR 2001), Milford, PA 18337</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br></span></font><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br></span></div></div></div>
17
17
0
I was a Recruiter and enlisted this amazing young man into the Army as Airborne Infantry w/ Ranger. He always called me "sarge" and hated it, but he was a great kid. He went off to training and completed it all to include Ranger school. He went to Ft. Drum, immediately deployed to Afghanistan and was killed Aug 20, 2009.. The entire community where I recruited came together and presented a memorial stone in front of his high school (he also volunteered his time to assist in coaching track and C.C.).. His parents were very grateful and so was I. This is a touchy subject, but wanted to share my favorite memorial.
(17)
(0)
MSG (Join to see)
I appreciate the kind words SN Henry! I've been to Ft. Drum, it is a beautiful place!
(3)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
sorry for your loss SSG M. and that is a sad, touching story.
Here is a poem I came across during my 08-09 Deployment. I hope it has the same effect on you all as it does me.
"The Soldier who Rode One In"
-We should all bear one thing in mind when we talk about a Soldier who "rode one in",
He called upon the sum of all his knowledge and made a judgement. He
believed in it so strongly that he knowingly bet his life on it.
That he was mistaken in his judgement is a tragedy, not stupidity.
Every supervisor and contemporary who ever spoke to him had an
opportunity to influence his judgement, so a little bit of all of us
goes in with every troop we lose.
--UNK
Here is a poem I came across during my 08-09 Deployment. I hope it has the same effect on you all as it does me.
"The Soldier who Rode One In"
-We should all bear one thing in mind when we talk about a Soldier who "rode one in",
He called upon the sum of all his knowledge and made a judgement. He
believed in it so strongly that he knowingly bet his life on it.
That he was mistaken in his judgement is a tragedy, not stupidity.
Every supervisor and contemporary who ever spoke to him had an
opportunity to influence his judgement, so a little bit of all of us
goes in with every troop we lose.
--UNK
(5)
(0)
PV2 (Join to see)
So sorry for your loss MSG (Join to see). Thank you for sharing your deeply personal story
(4)
(0)
16
16
0
The American monument at St. Nazaire in France. The locals refer to it as "Le Sammy" or "St. Nazaire's Statue of Liberty". It memorializes the American Expeditionary Force of WWI. It was destroyed by the Germans during their WWII occupation, but was rebuilt in '89. Coincidently, the massive dry dock at St. Nazaire was the target of one of the more epic raids of WWII, OPERATION CHARIOT. It's got a dough-boy with a sword on an eagle. Tough to beat that!
(16)
(0)
14
14
0
The USS Arizona Memorial. http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=991aSzfkrfI2gM&tbnid=Uuihw3h5dTn_aM:&ved=0CAgQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FUSS_Arizona_Memorial&ei=CyK9UoajFqeL2AWNlYDQAw&psig=AFQjCNHk8DhsYi6s0tG0ybHnya1_RGaKwg&ust= [login to see] 02046<div><br></div><div>I joined the Navy due to meeting Pearl Harbor Survivors in my hometown of Wichita, Kansas. I listened to their stories and it made me think about what I had done with my life up to that point. I was 29 years old. I made the decision to join the Navy and I prepared myself physically before boot camp. I entered the Navy 8-8-88. I retired 8-31-11 after 23 years and 23 days. I have been to Pearl Harbor 11 times. I paid my respects to the fallen every time. However, not only to the USS Arizona, but to the USS Oklahoma, the USS Utah, other sailors from other ships, U. S. Army, U. S. Marine Corps victims buried at the Punchbowl. I am humbled by the sacrifice and dedication to duty of all service men from that terrible Day of Infamy.</div><div><br></div><div>Phillip Todd Swartzlander</div><div>LSC(SW), USN Retired </div>
(14)
(0)
LTC Stephen C.
I've been there twice, CPO Phillip Swartzlander, and it was a moving experience each time. GySgt Melissa Gravila
(2)
(0)
CPO Phillip Swartzlander
Yes sir. I am a collector of USS Arizona Memorabilia. I was fortunate to get a pen from the youngest survivor before he passed away in 1992. His name was Harlan Carl Christianson. I also have been in contact with Donald Stratton. He signed a picture that I have created by Tom Freeman. He was in a gun director up on the forward port side of the superstructure above the bridge that was hit by the blast when the magazine exploded. He was severely burned. They had to climb down, hand over hand, on a rope that was thrown over to the USS Vestal. This is one that is very near and dear to my heart. I hope to keep the sacrifice of these brave men alive for generations to come.
(2)
(0)
LTC Stephen C.
CPO Phillip Swartzlander, I posted this elswhere on this thread, but I think it's appropriate here also. Navsource.org characterizes crew status thusly: "1,177 Officers and Men were lost with the ship and remain on duty inside her rusting hulk."
(2)
(0)
SGT Michael Glenn
Mine would have to be the Patton memorial just because its the only one I have ever been to in Luxembourg...yes its a country and has a whopping 450 service members that all live in a revamped castle/fort.
(1)
(0)
11
11
0
Arlington National Cemetery; it holds the remains of many of the Nations most decorated Men & Women including the tomb of the Unknown Soldier which is guarded 24-7 by the most professional Soldiers in our Army.
(11)
(0)
11
11
0
For me it would be Iowa Point at Naval Station Norfolk. It is dedicated to memory of the 47 sailors who lost their lives on April 19, 1989, onboard the USS Iowa (BB-61). I was a crew member and my division helped to supplement the turret so we lost members of our division that day.
(11)
(0)
A1C Chris John Maynard
In a way, the entire island of Guam counts: all the tangan-tangan on the island was planted by fly-overs due to the island losing most of its foliage. Even a several hundred pound piece of dud ordnance was near my school when i lived there: when I was a kid, I used to run more than a 100 feet away from it for years. Even a really old Japanese WWII soldier was found living in the woods since the war.
(1)
(0)
11
11
0
I would have to say the first memorial that I thought of when reading this is the Marine Corp memorial in D.C. I remember as a very young child visiting my grandfather, who was a WWII marine. He had a small replica of it and he would tell me about how it came to be. To this day when I see it I think of him and those times.
(11)
(0)
Col (Join to see)
SFC Boyer, this is a truly inspirational memorial, I was privileged to have been reenlisted at the Marine Corps War Memorial and to be a part of a command that hosted one of the Sunset Parades, great experiences at an amazing memorial... you must have strong and fond memories of your grandfather when you see this memorial or images from Iwo Jima. Great post, thanks for sharing your story with us all! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj8nrEW7Oag
US Marine Corps War Memorial The United States Marine Corps War Memorial represents the United States gratitude to Marines and those who have fought beside t...
(0)
(0)
10
10
0
Of course no-one can forget all the main memorials we have, the Tomb of the Unknown, Arlington, Vietnam wall etc... but while in Berlin I saw the Berlin Airlift memorial. I read about it there and discovered that the other half of it was at Rhine Main. So that night we made it all the way there and saw the other end as well... It is referred to as an "Air Bridge" and basically looks like the two base's of the STL Arch at each end with the middle cut out. It is said that if the two ends were constructed completely, they would meet in the middle. It is by no means an IMPRESSIVE looking design. But I found it pretty due to the history behind it.
(10)
(0)
Col (Join to see)
SSG Broadbent, thanks for sharing your thoughts and amazing story; you're right, it really does look like the bottom portion of the St. Louis Arch, very interesting indeed... thanks again for sharing!
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/ [login to see] 1_Berlin-Airlift-Memorial_DC-6_Tempelhof-airport_deserted-runway
View Berlin Airlift Memorial vintage historic stock footage in Berlin Germany, 1961. Buy HD video and archival still photo images of clip number [login to see] 1.
The Official Website of Arlington National Cemetery. Welcome to Arlington National Cemetery, our Nation's most hallowed ground. This historic cemetery bears witness to our American heritage and the mi...
(0)
(0)
10
10
0
Mine would have to be the Korean War Memorial. My first time seeing it was during a rainy overcast day at dusk. Seeing the memorial in that light and seeing the individual coming out of the wall at the memorial is breath taking and eerie at the same time. Truly an awe inspiring visit to that memorial!
(10)
(0)
Col (Join to see)
SFC Hutchinson, great choice and excellent point! You know, I hadn't really considered how this memorial interacts with the elements, it is absolutely striking under different lighting and atmospheric conditions... thanks again for sharing!
http://www.nps.gov/kowa/index.htm
http://www.koreanwarvetsmemorial.org/
The Korean War Veterans Memorial located on the Mall in Washington, D.C., is one of the most inspiring War Memorials in our Nation's Capital. This Memorial, in conjunction with the WWII Memorial and t...
(2)
(0)
SCPO David Lockwood
I have to agree with you on this SFC Hutchinson. This is one gives me the feeling of being on the battlefield, very solemn.
(1)
(0)
(2)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google