Northeast Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
Medal of Honor Memorial
Facing Extraordinary Circumstances
With Courage and Selflessness
Answer the Call
and Change the Course of Destiny
Medal of Honor
Deming Bronson, 1LT, USA (1915)
Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, COL., USMC (1934)
Robert E. Galer, BGEN., USMC (1935)
William K. Nakamura, PFC, USA (1941)
Bruce Crandall, MAJ., USA (1951-52)
John D. “Bud” Hawk, SGT., USA
Archie Van Winkle, COL., USMC (1961)
Robert Leisy, 2LT, USA (1968)
Erected 2009 by University of Washington.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: Military. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list.
Location. 47° 39.436′ N, 122° 18.583′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Northeast Seattle. Memorial is on Memorial Way NE, in the median. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Seattle WA 98105, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. George Washington (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Scion of the Washington Elm (approx. ¼ mile away); Naval Training Station Seattle (approx. half a mile away); Anhalt Hall (approx. half a mile away); University Library (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Old Shell House (approx. 0.8 miles away); 1890 Seattle Fire Department Bell (approx. 0.9 miles away); L'Amourita (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Seattle.
More about this memorial. Memorial is located on the University of Washington campus
Regarding Medal of Honor Memorial. Since 1862, 3,448 U.S. service members have received the Medal of Honor. The memorial is anchored by a five-point star, similar to the medal star. At the north point of the circle is a “book stone.” A plain serpentine rock that sat for years outside the UW sculpture studio was split open like a book and polished.
“The stone glows like ordinary people courageous enough to do something extraordinary for their fellow human beings,” said sculptor Heidi Wastweet, who was involved in the project.
A basalt column in front of the stone features the face of Minerva, goddess of both wisdom and war, who is pictured on the medal. Near those rocks are four sentinel stones surrounding one with bronze wording from the recipients’ Medal citations.
“We want to inspire students who walk around and through the memorial,” Wastweet said. “We want them to think that if these alumni could do extraordinary feats, then they can, too.”
Artist Michael Magrath, a UW visiting scholar in sculpture and public art; Heidi Wastweet, a Seattle sculptor; and Dodi Fredericks, a landscape architect, designed the memorial.
Also see . . . Honoring Heroes. (Submitted on January 19, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 254 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on January 19, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.