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North Carolina Veteran's Monument, Raleigh. Photo courtesy of Natasha Smith.
North Carolina Veteran's Monument
Raleigh

View complete article and references at Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina at: https://docsouth.unc.edu/commland/monument/183

Description: The 40 foot tall monument rests on a base holding bronze plaques that depict major battle scenes from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War in bas-relief. A bronze "eternal flame" sits above the plaques. Lady Liberty, dressed in classical garb, stands at the top of the monument; she steps forward with her right leg while holding a palm frond high in the air with both arms, symbolic of both peace and victory. Flags of the armed forces (Army, Navy, Cost Guard, Air Force, and Marines) are arrayed on top of four pillars behind the monument.

Inscription:

On the bottom of the front of the base of long shaft: THIS MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED / TO THE HEROIC MEN AND / WOMEN OF NORTH CAROLINA / WHO SERVED IN AMERICA'S / WARS. AS LONG AS THE FLAME / OF FREEDOM BURNS, THE / MEMORY OF THEIR SACRIFICE / FOR PEACE SHALL ENDURE.

Bronze plaque: MEMORIAL TO VETERANS OF WORLD WAR I / WORLD WAR II AND THE KOREAN WAR / ERECTED 1990 / VETERANS' MEMORIAL COMMISSION MEMBERS / CHAIRMAN - BILLY RAY CAMERON / CO-VICE CHAIRMAN - JOHN T. BODE, JOHN H. THOMPSON, JR. / ZEB ALLEY, ARTHUR LEE ASHBURN III / WILLIAM C. COX, CHARLES T. CARPENTER, JR. / K.P. JOHNSON, FRED T. HOWELL / DANNY MOODY, HARLAN LABAR / CLIFFORD L. ROBERTS, W. DUDLEY ROBBINS / E.T. TOWNSEND, LAWRENCE O. WALSER, SR. / SCULPTOR-DESIGNER RICHARD H. AMLUNG, BUILDER JOYNER'S MEMORIAL INC.

Bronze plaque, left section: MAJOR ENGAGEMENTS OF WORLD WAR I / CAMBRAI, AISNE-MARNE. MEUSE-ARGONNE / SOMME DEFENSIVE, SOISSONS, MONTFAUCON / LYS, OURCQ RIVER, ST. QUENTIN / AISNE, SERGY, BLANC MONT / CANTIGNY, VESLE RIVER, BOIS DE FORET / CHATEAU-THIERRY, SOMME OFFENSIVE, CUNEL HEIGHTS / BELLEAU WOOD, OISE-AISNE, ROMAGNE HEIGHTS / NOYON-MONTDIDIER, YPRES-LYS, VITTORIO-VENETO / CHAMPAGNE-MARNE, JUVIGNY, BARRICOURT HEIGHTS / ST. MIHEIL

Left section of second small base: WORLD WAR I / 1917-1918

Bronze plaque, center section: MAJOR ENGAGEMENTS OF WORLD WAR II / PEARL HARBOR, PHILIPPINE SEA, CASSINO / BATAAN, GUAM, NORMANDY INVASION / JAVA SEA, LEYTE, CHERBOURG / CORREIGIDOR, LEYTE GULF, BATTLE OF THE HEDGEROWS / CORAL SEA, LUZON, ST. LO / MIDWAY, IWO JIMA, MORTAIN / GUADALCANAL, MINDANAO, ARGENTAN-FALAISE POCKET / PAPUA, OKINAWA, SOUTHERN FRANCE / BISMARCK SEA, BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC, METZ / NEW GUINEA, NORTH AFRICA, AACHEN / RABAUL, SICILY, HUERTGEN FOREST / BOUGAINVILLE, SALERNO, BATTLE OF THE BULGE / TURAWA, VOLTURNO RIVER, ALSACE / BIAK, RAPIDO RIVER, REMAGEN / SAIPAN, ANZIO, RUHR POCKET

Center section of the second small base: WORLD WAR II / 1941-1945

Bronze plaque, right section: MAJOR ENGAGEMENTS OF THE KOREAN WAR / OSAN, OH' ONGCH' ON RIVER, WONSAN / KUM RIVER, KUNU-RI, SONGJIN / TAEJON, CHANGJIN RESERVOIR, SOYANGE RIVER / PUSAN PERIMETER, YUDAM-NI, CH' ORWON / NAKTONG BULGE, HAGARU-RI, KUMHWA / TAEGU, KOT' O-RI, PUNCHBOWL / INCH' ON, HUNGNAM, BLOODY RIDGE / SEOUL, WONJU, HEARTBREAK RIDGE / P' YONGYANG, CHIP' YONG-NI, OLD BALDY / UNSAN, PORK CHOP HILL

Right section of the second small base: KOREAN WAR / 1950-1953

Dedication date: 5/27/1990

Creator: Joyner's Memorial Inc., Builder Richard H. Amlung, Sculptor

Materials & Techniques: The memorial was constructed of Mount Airy granite. The reliefs and statue of Lady Liberty are made of bronze.

Sponsor: Veteran's Memorial Commission, funded by the North Carolina General Assembly

Cost: $535,000

Unveiling & Dedication: Veterans and their families along with members of the general public were invited to attend the dedication of the monument, which took plase at 3 PM on the north lawn of the Raleigh State Capitol Building. Governor Martin, former Lieutenant Governor Bob Jordan, and Representative Liston Ramsey made brief remarks at the monument's dedication. Reverand Albert Edwards of Raleigh was the keynote speaker.

Post dedication use: The North Carolina veterans are honored yearly on Veterans Day with a wreath-laying ceremony near the memorial and parade downtown in Raleigh.

Subject notes: The monument honors North Carolina veterans of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. In addition, the monument memorializes the 2,375 North Carolina soldiers who died in WWI, the 8,910 in WWII, and the 2,965 in the Korean War.

Controversies: There were some complaints from the public that the monument too large and grandiose for the overcrowded Capitol Square.

Location: The memorial is located just north of the Capitol building in Capitol Square.

Landscape: The memorial is located on a pathway and is framed by small bushes and small trees that provide a shady alcove in Capitol Square.

City: Raleigh

County: Wake

Subjects: Korean War,World War I,World War II

Latitude: 
35.7809
Longitude: 
-78.62969
Subjects: 
Origin - location: