Middle East Conflicts Memorial Wall
On June 19th, 2004 a Granite Memorial Wall was dedicated commemorating the servicemen and women who have lost their lives in worldwide conflicts since 1979. The project was built with donated material and labor and is the first of its kind in the history of the United States to give honor to our fallen by name, while a conflict is ongoing. The names on the wall represent our fallen heroes from such diverse locations as Panama, Lebanon, the Balkans, Grenada, Somalia, Haiti, USS Cole, USS Stark, Terrorist attacks in Italy, Greece, Scotland, and the current conflicts in the Middle East.
Our Gold Star Mom, Denise, forwarded this on to us. Please select the link to read a bit more about this Wall, and take a few minutes to view the video. Denise’s comments begin around the 2:47 mark.
Thank you, Denise.
Category: Guest Post, Soldiers Angels, We Remember
“Thank you, Denise.” Indeed! The Dust Bunnies that I raise here at Firebase Magnolia are supposed to be pets, not stirred up to create eyeball leakage. A big Thank You and a BZ to all the people that made this happen.
A program I attended yesterday (separate from the 9/11 service that I was at) I noticed a vehicle with a Gold Star Family Tag on it. I asked the man nearby if that was his vehicle and if so, who did he lose. He was honored that I knew what the tag was and upon giving me the Name that I knew of that Marine, Staff Sergeant Kelley Lance Courtney. The Family lived in the same neighborhood that I grew older in back yonder and the Marine attended the same schools that I had. I told him the same words that we that mean it say each time:
We will be their Witness
We will say their Names
We will NEVER forget.
https://www.macon.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/ed-grisamore/article30132477.html
https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/marine-sgt-kelley-l-courtney/482883#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20A%20Marine%20from%20Georgia%20who%20was%20among,bomb%20exploded%20next%20to%20his%20truck%20on%20Saturday.
AW1Ed,
Thank you for posting this. It is my sincere hope this amazing place is somewhere everyone visits at least once. Words can’t describe how profound and moving it is to be there in person, though the images in this video do a fair job.
Speaking of words, they used the audio of the interview I did as the “voice over” for most of the video. For once, the media actually edited in a way that conveyed what I actually said instead of serving their own agenda. And , this was done two days after the 13 were killed in Kabul, so I was impressed they didn’t even try to go “there”.
Well done. Thanks for sharing, Denise. Am looking forward to discovering more about this Memorial.
Looked for the name of a dear friend who died from chemicals he was exposed to in Desert Storm but it was not there. Guess he didn’t make the cut. Of course, there was nothing but denial that his healthy body rapidly succumbed to indeterminate cancers and other horrors before any such was taken seriously by officialdom. His civilian docs pushed very hard for recognition of his maladies as being military service related even after his very premature death. His family probably remains bitter about the experience. But I remember and say his name regularly.
OWB, lost a friend in that exact situation. His parents both taught in my high school, and his sister was a year behind me. It was a major loss to the entire community. He’s not listed either.
I love everything that this memorial represents – but I feel it is, artistically, derivative.
The Vietnam Wall is iconic. Its concept should not be replicated. Yes, I know the design wasn’t universally accepted, but it’s one of the most identifiable US war monuments. As much as plagiarism is flattery, mimicry is insult.
Has a GWOT memorial design been decided on? As much as I despise the idea of memorializing something that’s not yet over, it seems like it’s going to happen. A few years ago, I emailed the organization spearheading the idea to say that I have a design idea that might do it justice.
I received a form-letter stating that they haven’t considered artistic aspects yet, but were more than willing to accept any financial contributions I could make; they would inform me as the motion moved forward. Radio silence, ever since (I had no money to spare, at the time).
I truly believe my idea has merit.
HR 1115 seems to be stalled. It would direct the finding of a spot somewhere on the Mall for a GWOT Memorial.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1115/all-info
Thanks.
it is partially derivative, but because it is a privately run memorial, I think that is to be expected.
The key thing about this memorial is the museum on the grounds which has a lot of personal items related to the wars.
That’s fair. In retrospect, my comment was more critical than intended.
The most important thing is that those noble deaths are being memorialized. Next spring, I’m driving to Washington (gonna learn to wing walk!) and plan to visit this site on the way.
If you know of any future memorial plans like this, please let me know. I would love to showcase my design.
If you have not been to Marseilles, IL to see this site, you need to go.
Any time I go back to see family, we make the trip up to this memorial.
The walls have the names of all who have died in our middle eastern conflicts.
every spring they have a big motorcycle event that a lot of people attend and well worth a ride if you are a biker.
They have a farcebook face: https://www.facebook.com/MiddleEastConflictsWallMemorial/
I had never heard of this. All I can say is wow. It is truly beautiful and a fitting tribute. The fact that it is privately funded and executed makes it that much more special.
Thank you for posting this AW1Ed and thank you Denise. Like FuzeVT, I was not aware of this memorial but like him, think it an appropriate and fitting tribute. Watched the video twice and although somber, believe the video’s message strikes a correct balance between pride and sorrow and helps to gently commit it to memory. Going to be sure to pass the video link on. Thanks again.