Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial

This weekend, our friends Andy and Therese, came to visit. They live in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and we went to go see “Cirque du Soleil Delerium” Friday evening. Saturday, we decided to venture downtown since it was nice outside and thought it would be nice to visit the Indianapolis Zoo, since we have not been there in years. The zoo closed early, so we decided to take a walk on the canal in downtown Indy. It is said, that Indianapolis has more memorials honoring

America’s servicemen and women save Washington D.C.

Along the canal, the newly erected Medal of Honor Memorial is the only memorial in the U.S. honoring such recipients. It is comprised of 27 curved glass panels representing the 15 American conflicts. 3,410 Honorees names are etched on the corresponding wall representing the conflict for which their award was received.

The Medal of Honor is “the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Generally presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress, it is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor.” (http://www.cmohs.org/medal.htm).

The city’s newest war memorial was dedicated on May 28, 1999 adjacent to Military Park, once a military camp used for the recruitment and training of troops during the Civil War.

Every evening, recorded war stories about the honored recipients and their heroic acts play for approximately ½ hour. As the stories are told, the appropriate panel is illuminated displaying the conflict being discussed. Many of the stories are told in the actual recipients own voice. (http://www.medalofhonor.com/Memorial.htm)

The memorial is quite simple and plays in nice contrast to the Canal’s surroundings, reflecting the slow moving water in the Canal.