Americal Legacy Foundation

Monument Placement History

Chronological Index

Monuments and memorials to honor the legacy of the Americal Division and the 23rd Infantry Division have been placed at selected national VA cemeteries and other locations since 2017. Unit cost for each standard national cemetery monument is $5,975 plus fabrication and installation of the concrete base. The Americal Legacy Foundation also provides partial grants, project management and other in-kind resources for eligible monuments to honor our veterans.

#29

September 2024. Highland Veterans Memorial Park Nellsville, Wisconsin. The 155-acre park began as the Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Memorial Project. ADVA members Tom Pearson and Leonard Frye initiated the project and provided assistance to bring it to completion.

#28

October 2023. Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, Oklahoma. The Americal Monument placement was along the cemetery’s circular memorial walkway placed around the cemetery flagpole. Foundation director and First Vice President Gary Noller headed up this project.

#27

September 2023. Joint Base Cape Cod, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The Foundation worked with ADVA member Len Kondratiuk (and former Massachusetts National Guard Commander) to refurbish an existing Americal Division plaque placed in 1978. The Foundation contributed $1,200 towards the costs for the new plaque and placement on the grounds of Joint Base Cape Cod. The monument is located on the walkway to the 26th Infantry Division memorial. In 1941, the 26th Infantry Division contributed the 182nd Infantry Regiment and other units to the WWII Task Force 6814. The Americal Division formed from Task Force 6814 in the Pacific Theater on the island of New Caledonia.

#26

June 2023. Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego, California. The Americal Monument placement was along the cemetery’s memorial walkway

#25

April 2023. Washington Crossing National Cemetery , Newtown, Pennsylvania. The Americal Monument placement was along the cemetery’s memorial walkway. ADVA Member John Farley proposed the site location and initiated the placement proposal request.

#24

November 2022. Camp Butler National Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois. The Americal Monument placement was along one of the cemetery’s internment areas. ADVA Member Robert Cowles proposed the site location and initiated the placement proposal request.

#23

August 2022. National Army Museum, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. Americal Division plaque. Dedicated at ADVA 2022 National Reunion. Initiation and follow-up for this project came from ADVA member Bill Shugarts. This plaque is one of many that are displayed along a walk of the museum. The plaques are part of a fundraising effort for the construction and operation of the National Army Museum.

#22

June 2022. Fort Jackson National Cemetery, Columbia, South Carolina. The Americal Monument placement was along one of the cemetery’s memorial walkways. Foundation director and Second Vice President Ronald Ellis proposed the site location and initiated the placement proposal request.

#21

May 2022. Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, Texas. The Americal Monument placement was along the cemetery’s circular memorial area. Foundation director and First Vice President Gary Noller headed up this project.

#20

January 2022. Missouri Veterans National Memorial, Perryville, Missouri. A memorial bench honoring the Americal Division’s Vietnam era service was placed at the Missouri Veterans National Memorial near Perryville, Missouri. This placement proposal was recommended by Foundation directors Ron Ellis and Roger Gilmore. Foundation directors gave the project approval in September 2021. Total project cost was $7,500.00.

#19

December 2021. Fort Johnson, (formerly Fort Polk), Leesville, Louisiana. The monument is in place in front of the post museum. ADVA member James Tarver proposed the Americal Division monument placement at this military post.

#18

April 2021. Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery, North Little Rock, Arkansas. The monument site was selected to honor Americal Division veteran and CMOH recipient Nick D. Bacon. Mr. Bacon was a former director of the Arkansas Veterans Administration. Arkansas State installed 04-2021

#17

March 2021. National Infantry Museum, Columbus, Georgia. A bronze monument to honor the soldiers who served with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade was installed on the Walk of Honor, National Infantry Museum, Ft. Benning Georgia. Partial funding of $10,000 and project management by Americal Legacy Foundation. Sculpture by Sarah Hahn, Columbus, Ohio. Project management by Dave Eichhorn with assistance from Gary Noller.

#16

November 2020. Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois. The monument is in place at the cemetery’s memorial garden area. ADVA member Lyle Peterson proposed the Americal Division monument placement at this VA Cemetery.

#15

October 2020. Fort Novosel, (formerly Fort Rucker), Enterprise, Alabama. Home of Army Aviation. An Americal Division monument honoring all U.S. Army aviation units serving with the Division in all eras of activation was placed in the post’s Remembrance Walk area. Design and construction was completed by Columbus Monument Company of Columbus, Georgia at a total project cost of $5,573.00. Project management by Roger Gilmore.

#14

October 2020. Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York. The monument is in place at the cemetery’s memorial walkway near the cemetery entrance.

#13

January 2020. Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Columbus, Georgia. Provided monument design, construction oversight, and partial funding for the memorial monument to honor soldiers of the 46th Infantry Regiment. The monument is located at the 1/46th Infantry Battalion headquarters at Ft. Moore, Georgia (formerly known as Ft. Benning.) Major funding by veterans of FSB Mary Ann. Project management by Gary Noller.

#12

April 2019. National Vietnam War Museum, Mineral Wells, Texas. An Americal Division monument with the VA Cemetery design concept was placed in the Museum’s Vietnam Wall garden to honor the legacy of the Americal Division. Project management by Gary Noller.

#11

May 2018. Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, Michigan. The monument is in place at the cemetery’s memorial walkway near the cemetery entrance. This proposal placement project was led by Foundation Director Bob Short.

#10

March 2018. National Infantry Museum, Columbus, Georgia. Fire Support Base Mary Ann memorial monument. Walk of Honor, National Infantry Museum, Ft. Moore (formerly Ft. Benning), Georgia. Funded by veterans of FSB Mary Ann. Americal Legacy Foundation provided project management and additional in-kind services. Project management by Gary Noller

February 2018. Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas. The monument is in place at the cemetery’s memorial walkway. This proposal placement project was led by Foundation Director Gary Noller.

November 2017. Dallas – Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas, Texas. The monument is in place at the cemetery’s memorial walkway. This proposal placement project was led by Foundation Director Roger Gilmore.

September 2016. Ft. Sill, Lawton, Oklahoma. Americal Division monument project at Fort Sill’s Constitution Park honors the Americal Division artillery units who served in the Division during its three eras of activation. Site excavation was completed in August 2016. Monument stonework was completed in early September 2016, and monument placement was completed late September 2016.

A monument dedication ceremony was conducted on May 10, 2017. Approximately 120 Americal Division Veterans and guests attended the ceremony.

Total project cost was $37,000.00. Project design by David Taylor. Project management by Roger Gilmore.

August 2017. Carolina Field of Honor, Kernsville, North Carolina. The Americal Legacy foundation purchased a paver stone for placement to honor the Americal Division and its involvement in the nation’s conflicts during its three eras of activation. The paver stone is located in the plaza section of the park. The park honors the commitment our veterans made the sustain the liberty that our fathers provided for us. The memorial project was initiated by ADVA member and former Foundation director Wayne Bryant.

June 2016 Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Columbus, Georgia. OCS 509-68 memorial.

The Foundation provided a funding grant of $500.00 towards a monument placement at the Fort Benning (now Fort Novosel), Georgia. The monument honors Officer Candidate Class 509-68. ADVA member and former Foundation director David W. Taylor proposed the grant to supplement funding for the monument.

OCS class 509-68 was commissioned on August 5, 1968. Most were sent to fight in the Vietnam War. One of the classes Tactical Officers (Instructor), a helicopter pilot, served with the Americal Division in Vietnam and was shot down. His body was never recovered.

The monument, placed at the Officer Candidate School student battalion’s “Walk of Honor”, Fort Benning, Georgia was completed and placed in June 2016. One of the black granite plaques lists all the class members (candidates and instructors) killed in the Vietnam War. An Americal Veteran, Captain Larron Murphy is listed along with the Americal patch that he proudly served.

Captain Murphy valiantly served in the Americal and his name with the Americal patch on the monument is a testament of the Americal’s legacy for thousands of visitors at the Walk of Honor. Monument design and project management by David Taylor.

October 2014. Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, the Americal Division monument placement was a collaboration of the Americal Legacy Foundation and Cebu VFW Post 12130. The project was initiated in mid 2013 with the project design and construction planning handled by VFW Post 12130 personnel.

The monument placement at this site approximately 40 miles north of Cebu City commemorates the site on which the Japanese Army forces surrendered to the Americal Division in August 1945. Monument construction was completed in October 2014 at a cost, in US dollars of $3,650.00. The Americal Legacy Foundation provided $3,000.00 in grant money towards land acquisition and monument construction costs. The monument dedication ceremony took place at the site in March 2015. The following picture of the monument shows the daughter of the property owner who owned the land on which the Japanese surrender was conducted in 1945. Ms. Eusebia Ycot donated the land to place the Americal Division monument.

October 2014. Fairmont Memorial Park, Spokane, Washington. Mr. Jesse Drowley was an Americal Division soldier who served in WWII during the Americal Division’s various engagements with the Japanese Army in the Pacific Theater. Mr. Drowley is the only Americal Division soldier from WWII awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in the U.S. military. Mr. Drowley was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in January 1944 at Bougainville, Solomon Islands.

Mr. Drowley is buried in the in the veterans section of the Spokane, Washington Fairmount Cemetery. A monument to honor Mr. Drowley was placed near his burial site. The Americal Legacy Foundation provided $1,000.00 in grant money towards monument construction costs of $5,000.00. Monument work and placement were completed in October 2014. The monument was dedicated on Veterans Day 2014.

October 2011. Kentucky State Veterans Cemetery Central, Radcliffe, Kentucky. An Americal Division monument at the Kentucky State Veterans Cemetery in Radcliffe, Kentucky honors all Americal Division Veterans who served during its three eras of activation. The ADVA Legacy Committee provided a grant of $950.00 towards total construction and placement costs of $2,850.00. The project was completed in late 2011. The grant request to help fund the project was initiated by ADVA member and Kentucky resident William G. Walker.

June 2012. National Infantry Museum, Columbus, Georgia. The Americal Legacy Foundation, operating at the time this Monument was completed as the Americal Division Veterans Association Legacy Committee, lead the design and project implementation. The monument sits on the grounds of the National Infantry Museum, just outside the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia. The monument is one of many at the National Infantry Museum’s Memorial Walk of Honor, a thirty acre tract featuring monuments placed by military units and associations. Design and construction were completed by Columbus Monument Company of Columbus, Georgia in June 2012.

Total cost was $77,000.00 for this monument honoring the Americal Division action during three eras of activation. Project costs were fully funded by ADVA member donations and grants.

The monument was dedicated in September 2012 as the feature tour of the Americal Division Veterans Association national reunion in Atlanta, Georgia. Project management by David Taylor and Roger Gilmore.

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Americal Legacy Foundation