Wheaton in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Memorial Plaza
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
1. Memorial Plaza
[Text on the wall on the left side, facing west:]
Medal of Honor recipient Robert James Miller, 1983-2008
Korean War, 1950-1953
World War II, 1941-1945
World War I, 1917-1918
Spanish-American War, 1898-1902
Wheaton designated as DuPage County seat, 1867
Mexican-American War, 1846-1848
Erastus Gary, Jesse Wheaton, and Warren Wheaton travel from New England and claim hundreds of acres, 1837-1838
Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
Persian Gulf War, 1990-1991
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Medal of Honor recipient James Howard Monroe, 1944-1967
Wheaton Park District incorporated, Memorial Park purchased from Judge Elbert Gary, 1921
Wheaton incorporated as a city, 1890
U.S. Civil War, 1861-1865
Wheaton
this page online
War of 1812, 1812-1815
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Patriots & Patriotism • Settlements & Settlers • War, World I. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list.
Location. 41° 52.061′ N, 88° 6.531′ W. Memorial is in Wheaton, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Union Avenue near Hale Street, on the left when traveling west. The veterans memorials surrounding the Doughboy statue are in Memorial Park, near the park building. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 225 Karlskoga Avenue, Wheaton IL 60187, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this memorial is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Vietnam Veteran's Memorial (here, next to this marker); Memorial to World Wars I and II (a few steps from this marker); Veterans Memorial Bench (a few steps from this marker); Korean War Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker);
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
2. "Over the Top to Victory" statue
This doughboy statue, designed by John Paulding, was installed in Wheaton's Memorial Park on November 11, 1929, the 11th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. For about 90 years it sat on a stone pedestal at the center of the park, until a 2020 renovation that made it the center of a modern memorial.
More about this memorial. The center of this memorial installation is a statue, titled "Over the Top to Victory," featuring a World War I doughboy with his hand raised, leading his company forward. This statue was designed by John Paulding and dedicated on November 11, 1929, the 11th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. The Paulding design was used for many other memorials across the United States and bears a very close resemblance to the "Spirit of the American Doughboy" statues by E. M. Viquesney that were also widely erected across the U.S. around the same time period.
This particular statue stood for about
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
3. Memorial Plaza, rear view
Regarding Memorial Plaza. The memorial honors two Medal of Honor recipients from Wheaton.
Private First Class James Howard Monroe was born in Aurora and grew up in Wheaton, where he graduated from Wheaton Central High School in 1962. He attended Washington & Lee University in Virginia before being drafted in the U.S. Army in 1966 and sent to Vietnam in November of that year. On February 16, 1967, Pfc. Monroe was treating wounded soldiers during a battle when a grenade landed nearby. Monroe blocked the grenade with his body, saving the men around him but sacrificing his life. For his gallantry in battle, Monroe was posthumously awarded the Medal
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
4. James H. Monroe etching at Memorial Plaza
Staff Sergeant Robert Miller grew up in Wheaton and graduated from Wheaton North High School. After a year at the University of Iowa, he joined the Army and did two tours of duty in Afghanistan. On January 25, 2008, Staff Sergeant Miller volunteered to lead his 8-man Special Forces Weapons team and a 15-man team of Afghan troops on a night patrol. That evening, the group was attacked by Taliban insurgents. At great personal risk, SSgt. Miller confronted the enemy so his comrades could take cover, protecting the lives of his team, but being mortally wounded in the fight. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on October 5, 2010.
Also see . . .
1. Wheaton Park District: Memorial Plaza Narrative. Memorial Plaza was completed in 2020. It included several existing war memorials (including the Doughboy statue) as part of a new installation. (Submitted on September 24, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. Congressional Medal of Honor Society: James H. Monroe
Office of Medical History, Office of the Surgeon General of the United States Army
5. James H. Monroe (1944-1967)
Monroe, a 1962 graduate of Wheaton Central High School, was a medic in Vietnam. On February 16, 1967, he smothered a grenade with his body, sacrificing his life to save those around him. He is buried in Wheaton Cemetery, and is the namesake of Monroe Middle School. In 1968, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
3. President Obama to award Medal of Honor.
Excerpt: "Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, who was 24 years old when he died, will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for heroic actions in Barikowt, Afghanistan, on Jan. 25, 2008. "He displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor -- eventually sacrificing his own life to save the lives of his teammates and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers," White House officials said in a written statement issued today announcing the honor.(Submitted on September 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
6. Robert James Miller etching at Memorial Plaza
Courtesy of the United States Army
7. Robert James Miller (1983-2008)
Staff Sergeant Miller grew up in Wheaton and graduated from Wheaton North High School. He was killed in battle in Afghanistan in January 2008, and received the Medal of Honor for his actions in that fight in 2010.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
8. Memorial Park, Wheaton
The war memorial can be seen in the far background, near the building
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 80 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 4. submitted on September 24, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 5. submitted on September 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 6. submitted on September 24, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 7. submitted on September 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 8. submitted on September 22, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
