The Art of Immortalizing Heroes - The War Memorial

The World War I panel represents, pays tribute and honors the over one million soldiers lost in the war. The panel consists of a field of poppies; soldiers on patrol; a kneeling soldier releasing US carrier pigeon Cher Ami; and hoof prints replicating a battlefield in Flanders Field. The hoof prints also pay tribute and honor the more than eight million pack animals - horses, donkeys and mules - lost in WWI.  

The poppies in the mid-ground are the paw prints created by Einstein, an emotional support K9. The battlefield hoof prints  were created by Austin Powers, Jesse and Stormy, three horses who walked over the plywood canvas. 

Listen to an audio description of this panel here.

The World War II panel represents both the Pacific and European fronts, but in different ways. The representation of the Pacific front in the panel comes from the raising of the Flag at Iwo Jima, created with approximately 9000 trim screws and drywall screws. The shadow effect of the Flag pole was made with the collected sands from Iwo Jima.  The last 37 drywall screws at the bottom of Mt. Suribachi were installed by Tom Crosby, child POW captured by the Japanese in the Philippines at the age of 8. Tom was liberated by the 1st Calvary when he was eleven years old.  The thirty-seven screws represent how many months he was interned and each of the 37 screws also represents a little over one hundred internees captured along with him.

The representation of the European front in the panel was provided by the participation of Tom Rice, of the 101st Airborne who parachuted into Normandy in 1944.  At 100-years-old, he installed the first 101 trim screws to honor his 101st Airborne comrades who dropped into Normandy with him on D-Day. 

Listen to an audio description of this panel here.

The Korean War panel is a replication of the statues that create the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. The panel consists of approximately 10,000 drywall and trim screws.  

With participation from 13-year-old Benjamin Rattan and USS Midway Chaplain Paul Ward, the task of installing the 10,000 offered the gateway to the title for this panel.  Because of the two different installing techniques, a subtle horizontal line was created about half way down the image, inspiring the panel's name The 38th Parallel, also known as the Demilitarized Zone. 

In addition, Korean War veterans Donna Owens, William Schellenberg, Major Billy Hall, Tom Crosby and others have installed several screws. The last Screw to be installed is saved for SGT Agapito ‘Pete’ Sauceda, a combat Korean War Veteran.

The main objective was to replicate the phenomenon of the ‘eyes’ following the observer no matter where the observer is in relation to the image/statues. The technique, Trompe-l’oeil, is an ancient art technique of ‘deceiving eyes’ that is practiced by all cultures. Wherever you stand, whether in front or to the sides, the Point Man’s eyes will follow you.

Listen to an audio description of this panel here.

The Vietnam War panel entitled "Welcome Home" pays tribute to the iconic statue of three soldiers returning from patrol. The panel, created with over 20,000 screws, also reflects the environment Vietnam Veterans recall - monsoons and jungle. One veteran suggested a red, white, and blue theme. The question Joe asked himself when creating this piece was, “How can I make these soldiers look like superheroes?”  The answer was creating red, white and blue lightening bolts in a stormy monsoon jungle. 

Several Vietnam Veterans also participated in the creation of the panel. Purple Heart recipients had their screws installed where they were injured, and a Purple Heart was painted on the heads of their screws. Vietnam Veterans who suffered from the effects of defoliants had their screw heads painted Orange, Purple, Green, Blue and Pink to bring greater awareness to the issue.  And, a Global War on Terrorism veteran donated an authentic bandolier, similar to the bandolier the Hispanic soldier has wrapped around him. 

There are one hundred twenty-five missing screws from the piece and installed inside the panel.  The Missing Screws represent the nearly 1,250 veterans still missing in action. Once a name or remains are returned, a family member will be asked to install the missing screw, and "bring the soldier back home." 

Listen to an audio description of this panel here. 

The Battlefield Cross stands upright on a base paying tribute to those lost in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Global War on Terrorism. The image includes a life-size set of boots, rifle, helmet and approximately 6,000 drywall and trim screws. The flag at half-staff and background were created with more than 1,000 official-sized chrome dog tags. 

Twenty-two simulated bullet holes are positioned randomly in the background to represent the staggering number of service members who have died by suicide after returning from the battlefield.  A cluster of three-bullet-hole dog tags represents and remembers those lost on the USS George Washington. 

Resurrecting Lives Foundation has sponsored the Battlefield Cross as it is a representation of the service members from Iraq and Afghanistan who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury. 

With the permission of Gold Star Mom, Patty, the embossed dog tag of her Marine son LCPL Victor Dew (K.I.A. in Afghanistan on Oct. 13, 2010, age 20) hangs on the rifle. 

Listen to an audio description of this panel here.

Unsung Heroes panel pays tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, Navajo Code Talkers, nurses, Filipino prisoners of war and service animals. 

The image of the Tuskegee Airman represents and honors all U.S. service members of color. This image was installed by servicemembers of color. Apart from the many heroics of the Tuskegee Airmen, many of today’s service members simply stand on the pillars of our Black veterans.

The Navajo Code Talker represents all Native Americans who have and are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.  Navajo GWOT Veteran and Purple Heart recipient Marcus Chischilly installed screws to honor his Native brothers and sisters as well as his family. It is a somewhat obscure image that challenges observers to open dialogue and learn about this elite group of warriors. Without our Native American Code Talkers, we may not have become victorious in World War II.

The includes nurses from the Vietnam Memorial. This image captures two of the three nurses tending to a wounded soldier. One nurse is looking skyward to a red, white and blue beam of light from the heavens, as if being anointed by a Higher Power. The wounded soldier is presented as a flag. Korean War WAVE Veteran Donna Owens and Sea Cadet Elizabeth Hogan installed screws to honor all of the women in the US Armed Forces.

Marie Dolopo-Zhivago, granddaughter of the first enlisted Filipino-American Tomas Dolopo, installed screws in the POW image to honor of her grandfather and all Filipino-American veterans. In 1903, Tomas participated in War World I, and captured by the Japanese in World War II. Filipino-American veterans, service members, and a child POW also installed screws to honor all Filipino POW (civilian and military), veterans and active duty personnel. 

The panel also features Crossed-eyed Jimmie, a November K9 German Shepard, who served eight years in the Sandbox as an explosive detection and Security Ops K9. This image represents the sacrifice of all K9s and other animals used in defending the ideals of democracy and freedom around the world.

Listen to an audio description of this panel here.

The exhibit's final panel, Funeral Honors, showcases The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  It was fabricated by Acropolis West, which makes the grave markers used at National Cemeteries. The company also worked on the restoration of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC. 

 The marble was hand selected, and shaped as a replica of the Tomb, with a door that opens to secure the five embossed dog tags. The dog tags were donated by Chesty’s Tailoring, and embossed the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Tomb of the Unknown Sailor, Tomb of the Unknown Marine, Tomb of the Unknown Guardian, and Tomb of the Unknown Airmen. 

A sentinel, also known as the Old Guard, November Romeo, was  created with over 1,000 drywall screws. The name is coined after the sentinel's no rank, thus November Romeo. When we get a name of an unknown, November Romeo will be temporarily removed, and an embossed dog tag will be placed inside the tomb. There is also a brace under the tomb with 21 screws representing a 21 gun salute, 21 paces, and 21 second pauses. 

The panel also features a Marine in full dress uniform handing a folded flag all of the nation and all of the families she has lost in service to our country. 

Listen to an audio description of this panel here.

Perhaps the greatest aspect of the War Memorial project is the wall on the back of the exhibit. It is a corrugated wall in which the Vietnam Memorial Wall for this exhibit has approximately 17,000 of the 58,272 names of the service members killed in action during the war. The names are one quarter inch, with blue engraved lettering. The wall is entitled “’68,” in reference to 1968 during the war. In that year, America saw 16,899 casualties, the most of the entire conflict. At a quick glance, the observer has a tangible and visual representation of the price of war.  

The other side of the wall has approximately 3,800 three-dimensional Gold Stars. The stars were painted by children and special needs adults. Many stars were painted with gold paint, glitter, eyes, sand, beads and other creative materials. 

Listen to an audio description of this panel here.