Statues, Panels & Structures

The Warrior

The Warrior will be a bronze statue that is approximately 7 feet tall on a 30-inch pedestal, placed in the center of the plaza. He will be leaning on his weapon as though he has come out of battle. He has lost some of his fellow soldiers. His face expresses the agony of war. In his left hand he is holding dog tags that he has taken from one of his fallen buddy’s neck. The Warrior is reflecting on his loss. On The Warrior’s base the inscription reads: “Fallen, Never Forgotten.”

The Defending Eagle

The Defending Eagle will be a bronze statue placed at the entrance of the park. The Defending Eagle has an approximate 12-foot wingspan. The American Bald Eagle is probably the single most recognized symbol of freedom. The Eagle is in a stance of defense, claws dug in, wings out and upward and the head will be tilted at an angle listening for danger. He is ready to defend. On the base of the Eagle is inscribed, “Freedom.”

Service Panels 

The panels will be made of smooth polished black granite that are 11 feet tall and 5.5 feet wide. There will be five panels representing each service - Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and the Air Force. Mounted on each panel will be a bas-relief that represents a 3D timeline of the equipment, weapons and people of that branch of the service. Starting around the Revolutionary War though today.

Timeline Panels

There will be 16 panels 3 feet tall and 14 feet wide made of smooth black granite. Eleven of the panels will contain a history about a War or a conflict on American soil or abroad. The first panel will start with The War of Independence and go though Iraqi Freedom. It will have dates of major battles. Also, there will be information about the country during that time period such as population, the President and other significant data.

Tomb of the Unknown Solider

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will be made of white marble and placed on one of the black granite history panels. It will represent all of the soldiers that have gone to foreign soils, given their lives and they never came home.

Merchant Marines Monument

There will be a monument that recognizes the service and sacrifice by the Merchant Marines who served with honor during World War II.

Flags

There will be three flags flying over the Memorial. The tallest will be the American Flag. There will also be the State of Florida Flag and the POW MIA Flag.

Bricks

There will be 8,000 bricks on the walk of honor. They will contain the name, rank, and years of service of a service member or Veteran. There are also bricks surrounding the plaza available for sponsorship.

War Dog

From the time of ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans to today’s soldiers, man’s best friend has loyally followed his owner into battle as a well-trained War Dog. From the birth of the United States, dogs have followed American soldiers into war demonstrating great bravery on the front lines, heroically saving lives under fire, and comforting the sick and wounded.

Purple Heart Monument

General George Washington created the Purple Heart, America’s oldest Military decoration, in 1782. At that time he named it the Badge of Military Merit. On August 7, 1782, Washington decreed that whenever any individually meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear, over his left breast, a heart in purple cloth. Today, the prestigious Purple Heart award is among the most recognized of all American Decorations and medals. This is due partly to its beautiful design, its unique history and because of the physical pain and suffering which one must endure, or the ultimate sacrifice of the individual to whom the purple heart is awarded. The Purple Heart Monument is dedicated to all recipients of the Nation’s oldest military decoration, “The Purple Heart.” This Monument was dedicated in November of 2006 during the Veterans Day Ceremony that took place at the Veterans Memorial Plaza.

Wall of Tears Monument

The Wall of Tears is the newest addition to the Veterans Memorial Plaza in downtown Milton. The red granite monument honors all lives lost in conflicts. The monument stands 5 feet tall and more than 3 feet wide. There are six porcelain painted tiles of an eagle perched on a Liberty Bell monument that are affixed to the monument. On either side of the eagle an American flag and a prisoner-of-war, missing-in-action flag are raised. A reservoir drips tear-like droplets of water from the top of the monument over the painting. Below the painting, the inscription, “Tears of a grateful nation for those who gave all” honors soldier’s lives.