Situated at the north end of the Air Garden on the Academy Cadet area’s Terrazzo, just under the flagpole proudly displaying the American flag, is the Academy’s Graduate War Memorial. ----more----
The idea for the memorial was conceived by Captain Richard T. Mathews, from the Class of 1960, who served as the first alumni secretary. The $24,000 cost of constructing the memorial was covered by donations by graduates and parents of graduates. The memorial was eventually presented by the Association of Graduates to the Cadet Wing on October 10, 1970. The names of Air Force Academy graduates who have lost their lives in combat are etched in the three slabs of Starlight granite that make up the memorial. The inscription at the top of the memorial reads, “In memory of our fellow graduates who have fallen in battle.” At the dedication ceremony in 1970, Brigadier General Robin Olds, commandant of cadets at the time, challenged the cadets in attendance, saying quote “Remember these names. Honor them. They are a part of you, the wing. They represent your past, as you today represent our future. Reflect in their example of selfless devotion to duty, and gain courage so that, when you face your test, you may add honor and glory to the annals of the wing – and of the Air Force – and of our country.” With the addition of two fallen warriors in October 2023, the names of 190 Air Force Academy graduates are carved into the Academy’s Graduate War Memorial.
The Heritage Minute Channel is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Airforce Academy Association and Foundation
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