Tomorrow, March 4th is Hug a GI Day
I never knew about this before. England's Stonehenge or Egypt's Karnak or Abu
Simbel have nothing on us. Our memorial
even has a plaque pedestal to explain it all. Archaeologists of the future won't have to guess what the site is all
about. Why is it so
underpublicized?
Once a year at 11:11 am the sun
shines perfectly on this Memorial. At
precisely 11:11 a.m. each Veterans Day (Nov. 11), the sun’s rays pass through
the ellipses of the five Armed Services pillars to form a perfect solar
spotlight over a mosaic of The Great Seal of the United States.
Photograph by Mike Spinelli
The Anthem Veterans Memorial,
located in Anthem, Arizona, is a monument dedicated to honoring the service and
sacrifice of the United States armed forces.
The pillar provides a place of honor and reflection for veterans, their
family and friends, and those who want to show their respects to those service
men and women who have and continue to courageously serve the United
States.
The memorial was designed by
Anthem resident Renee Palmer-Jones. The
five marble pillars represent the five branches of the United States
military. They are staggered in size
(from 17 feet to 6 feet) and ordered in accordance with the Department of
Defense prescribed precedence, ranging from the United States Army, the United
States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and
the United States Coast Guard.
Photograph via Anthem Community Council
Photograph via Anthem Community Council
Photograph via Anthem Community Council
Additionally, the brick pavers
within the Circle of Honor are inscribed with the names of over 750 U.S.
servicemen and women, symbolizing the support for the Armed Forces. The pavers are red, the pillars are white,
and the sky is blue to represent America’s flag. The circle represents an unbreakable
border. Anthem resident and chief
engineer, Jim Martin was responsible for aligning the memorial accurately with
the sun.
Anthem Veterans Memorial
41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway
Anthem, AZ 85086
(623) 742-6050
I mean no disrespect, but here are some cartoons about veterans:
The ideal man doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, doesn't do
drugs, doesn't swear, doesn't get angry, & doesn't exist; but
veterans come close----fishducky
