If you travel to Europe, you’ll find some amazing memorials and monuments that are dedicated to the heroes who fought and died in the World Wars, but did you know we also have a wonderful monument right here in the United States? In Anthem, Arizona, there’s a monument called the Anthem Veterans Memorial, and it’s dedicated to honoring the sacrifice and service of the brave men and women who serve in the United States armed forces. The monument is a pillar that provides a place of reflection and honor for not just veterans, but also their friends and family, and just anyone who would like to show respect to these courageous individuals who make the difficult decision of becoming a soldier.
The Anthem Veteran’s Memorial and the Sun Once a Year at 11:11 a.m. on Veterans Day
Here’s what’s really special about the Anthem Veteran’s Memorial. At precisely 11:11 a.m. every year on Veterans Day, November 11th (11-11), the rays of the sun pass perfectly through the ellipses that are in the pillars that represent the five U.S. Armed Forces. The sun casts a perfect and brilliant solar spotlight over a gorgeous mosaic of The Great Seal of the United States. Renee Palmer-Jones designed the memorial.
— Tiffany Willis Clark (@tiffany_willis) January 10, 2021
Each of the five marble pillars represents one of the five branches of the U.S. military. They’re staggered in size, with the largest being 17-feet tall and the smallest being six-feet tall. The pillars are ordered in accordance with the prescribed precedence of the Department of Defence. It begins with the U.S. Army, then goes in this order: the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
— Tiffany Willis Clark (@tiffany_willis) January 10, 2021
The Symbolism of the Anthem Veterans Memorial
Also important to note is that the stones are red, the pillars are white, and the blue sky finishes it off to represent the American flag.
But that’s not all. The black pavers that live within the Circle of Honor are inscribed with more than 750 names of U.S. service members, both men and women. Click on the image below to stream this patriotic song for free on Amazon.
When it came to aligning the memorial perfectly with the sun, that was done by a resident of Anthem, chief engineer Jim Martin.
In the video below, you can watch a timelapse of the sun moving into the seal. Beautiful.
Here’s an aerial view.
It’s on my bucket list to visit one day. I love this.
