Regional Veterans Memorial

Regional Veterans Memorial. . , Central Plaque , ★ In honor of those who served to forge the heritage of the United States Armed Forces. , ★ In tribute to those who perished to provide peace and security for our nation. , ★ In gratitude to those now serving. , The Regional Veterans Memorial is consecrated hallowed ground dedicated to all veterans. It is a sacred place, representing the purchase of freedom with the blood of sacrifice. The message of the Memorial speaks to veterans, patriotism, sacrifice, courage, families, and the need to preserve freedom. Excerpts of President Woodrow Wilson's call to arms, his address to Congress April 2, 1917 declaring war on Germany, World War I are inscribed in bronze. , The donors plaque acknowledges the contributions of those contractors, architects, and engineers who participated and donated equipment and material, as well as support from construction related businesses with individual donors contributing modest financial support. From a construction point of view, the value of this complete project exceeds one million dollars. , The granite was deeded by the Dept. of Energy/TARC excess from the Hanford site for the purpose of constructing a memorial. Comparable monument-grade polished granite is estimated at a half million. The granite bears the markings and scars of cold war era industrial grade surface plates, but as one wit would have it, which of us veterans isn't marked in some way. , Three Sierra Nevada white monoliths are vertically erected across the plaza center axis equidistant from one another to show respect to veterans, denoting the stature of their service on plaques bearing gold, silver, and blue prismatic stars. , The Veterans Memorial plaza centerpiece, a great 44-ton of granite and at 40 feet in length, erected vertically, now stands as the tallest freestanding single piece of granite in the United States. And, at that proportion, likely to achieve national prominence. The great monolith was erected utilizing two huge cranes in tandem. Twenty concrete pilings, each one piling driven to refusal and capped by immense concrete footings, support the monoliths. , The didactic element is manifest in six black Impala granite pieces quarried in Africa, each bearing a seal of one of the six branches of the service, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Merchant Marine. These symbolize the combined might of the Armed Forces, arranged as sentries shoulder-to-shoulder, to surround, support and protect the flag of the United States and all for which it stands. Moreover, it conveys the full measure of pride and honor of service to our country. , A prime objective of the Memorial is to impart, through symbolism, education of our youth in patriotism, sacrifice, country, freedom and service in the Armed Forces. The Memorial project is the concept and protraction of Korea veteran Seabee Tom and Joyce McMillin who envisioned it a monument in recognition of all the men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces. , Three years in design and construction, the Memorial stands as the McMillin's legacy to the community and region., West Plaques , There is one choice we cannot make, we are incapable of making: we will not choose the path of submission and suffer the most sacred rights of our nation and our people to be ignored or violated. The wrongs against which we now array ourselves are no common wrongs; they cut to the very roots of human life. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts, for democracy., To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other. , Woodrow W. Wilson , President of the United States , April 2, 1917, Flagpole Dedication , Oath of Allegiance , I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge all duties and legal orders and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God!