Fourth Infantry Division Memorial at Fort Hood
Pictures by Patrick Shrier, text by Mark R. Hatlie
These pictures were taken at Fort Hood in central Texas in January of 2008.
There is also a Fourth Division memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
This memorial is discussed at the blog at http://sitesofmemory.twoday.net/stories/4878624/
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The memorial is centered on a flagpole, around the base of which the division insignia is laid into the ground. The insignia is also in stained glass behind the statue of the soldier. |
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The centerpiece of the memorial is a statue of a soldier kneeling before the boots-weapon-helmut memorial of a fallen comrade. Behind him, a small girl approaches him carry a bouquet of flowers. Her hand is raised as if she is about to caress the mourner on his soldier. |
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Maps showing battles and deployments have a long tradition at American memorials. |
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The plaque with a long quote by the commander in chief, George W. Bush, from September, 2003, is the central text of the memorial, right in front of the statue. It touches on sacrifice and gratitude and justifies the war as an answer to a gathering threat. More significantly because closely connected to the statue, the text emphasizes the themes of mourning and family. It reads, "The heaviest burdens in our war on terror fall, as always, on the men and women of our Armed Forces and our intelligence services. They have removed gathering threats to America and our friends, and this nation takes great pride in their incredible achievements. We are grateful for their skill and courage, and for their acts of decency, which have shown America's character to the world. We honor the sacrifice of their families. And we mourn every American who has died so bravely, so far from home. ". It is an excerpt from an address to the country |
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On the wall behind the statue, each fatality is listed on its own plaque. The fallen are listed in the order that they died with full name, rank, unit, as well as birth and death dates. |
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The contributors who paid for the memorial are acknowledged as well. |
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This nearby obelisk is a bit of a mystery. It would appear to show the insignia of the fourth division's constituent units... |
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...but the 2nd division insignia is clearly recognizeable (the Indian) as is the 25th (the lightening). Other divisions would not have been part of the 4th divisions. I would appreciate clarification from anybody in the know. |
