Las Cruces Veterans Memorial Park facts for kids
The Veterans Memorial Park in Las Cruces, New Mexico, is a special place built to honor the brave men and women who have served in the United States armed forces. It was opened on May 5, 1999. The park has many monuments that remember the sacrifices made by soldiers from the Las Cruces area, from the American Revolutionary War all the way to today. A walking path guides visitors to each important monument in the park.
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Why We Have Memorials
People have built memorials for thousands of years, from ancient Egypt to modern times. These structures help us remember important events, ideas, or people who have made a big difference. Memorials can help people feel peace when they are sad about losing someone. They give us a place to think, honor, and show respect. They also help future generations remember important moments or people in history. Memorials can show names, photos, and even old items. War can bring strong memories, especially when lives are lost. Veteran memorials are a way to remember and honor those lost in wars. You can find these memorials all over America.
Special Monuments in Las Cruces
The Bataan Death March Memorial
The Bataan Death March memorial was created by artist Kelley S. Hestir. It features three large bronze statues of American and Filipino soldiers. They are shown helping each other during a terrible six-day march of over eighty miles. This march led to a Japanese prison camp during World War II. Around the statues, you can see engraved footprints. These footprints represent the soldiers who survived the march and the many who died. Some of the actual soldiers who were forced to march across the Bataan Peninsula in 1942 placed their footprints here.
The memorial was dedicated on April 13, 2002. This was sixty years after the deadly march that took the lives of an estimated five to ten thousand people. After this monument was finished, Las Cruces started an annual tradition. Each year, people complete a twenty-six-mile march at the White Sands Missile Range. This march remembers the brave men honored in the memorial.
Veterans Memorial Wall
The Veterans Memorial Wall in the park was dedicated on November 11, 2005. It lists 8,188 names of veterans. These are people who joined the military from Doña Ana County in New Mexico. The names include those who served from the American Civil War through Operation Enduring Freedom. Currently, names of veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan are on temporary plaques. These will later be replaced with permanent ones.
The Garrison Flag
The park has an 80-foot-tall flagpole. On special days and holidays, it flies a huge American garrison flag. This flag is 240 square feet (12 feet by 20 feet)! When the flag is raised, people from the public are often invited to help veterans. On other days, a smaller flag is flown.
Garrison flags became very large during the War of 1812. The people of Baltimore expected an attack from the British. Major George Armistead wanted "a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance." The flag's great size inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." A similar large flag flies in Las Cruces to inspire visitors.
Veterans Memorial Gazebo
Each monument in the park is placed along a walking path. At the end of this path, you will find the Veterans Memorial Gazebo. Around the edge of the gazebo, you can easily spot medallions. These medallions have the symbols of different military branches. They also show logos from various military service groups. Picnic tables and benches with roofs surround the gazebo. This area is perfect for different activities and events for visitors.
Korean War Memorial
The Korean War Memorial is a gray, square stone. It has an outline of the country of Korea. A line on the stone shows where the 38th parallel is located. This line marks where Korea is now divided into North Korea and South Korea. The memorial also lists how many soldiers were hurt, captured, or went missing during the war.
It also includes a US Army Corps of Engineers castle symbol. A plaque remembers the 2nd Engineer Battalion's part and heavy losses during the Battle of Kunu-ri.
Two special gold challenge coins were placed into the main stone memorial. One coin faces up, and the other faces down. This honors Chaplain Emil J. Kapaun. He was a Captain in the US Army, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He received the Medal of Honor for his service. He passed away in a Prisoner of War camp on May 23, 1951.
Marine Corps League Memorial
The Marine Corps League has its own special monument. It honors Marines who fought in past wars and those who serve today. The monument is an alloy structure shaped like the Marine Corps emblem. This emblem is called the "Eagle, Globe, and Anchor." The Eagle stands for the United States. The Globe shows the areas where Marines serve. The fouled Anchor shows that Marines work closely with the Navy.
The emblem is surrounded by titles Marines have earned, including nicknames like "The Few The Proud," "Gung-ho," and "Leather Neck." Next to the monument are the words: "Since 1775 Uncommon Valor has been a Common Virtue. United States Marines." This refers to the year the Marine Corps was founded.
Vietnam War Memorial
The Vietnam War memorial is a large wall titled "Vietnam War Memorial: Heroes Never Thanked." Below the title, there is a collection of pictures. These pictures show people from New Mexico who fought in the war. To the left and right of these images are signs. They describe the roles and progress of different military branches during that time. Above this wall, an original Vietnam-era Huey helicopter hovers. It looks like it is coming in for a landing. This part of the park was added on March 1, 2016.
Women Veterans Monument
The Women’s Veteran Monument in Las Cruces is the first monument in New Mexico just for women in military service. It was dedicated on March 10, 2018. This monument has six life-size bronze statues of women. They wear uniforms from different military branches: the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, National Guard, and the Navy.
The uniforms on the statues are from different time periods. These include the Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, World War I, World War II, and the modern era. This project was started by the United Military Women of the Southwest. This group is a non-profit organization of women veterans. The monument was built to show the important contributions women have made throughout American military history.
Veterans Corner
Las Cruces is proud to be home to thousands of men and women who have served our country. To honor and help veterans, their families, or anyone interested in veteran issues, the city has a special section on its website. This section is called Veterans Corner. It provides information and resources for people.
Las Cruces also has a Veterans Advisory Board. This board helps advise the city council on matters related to veterans. It is made up of 13 veterans who live in Doña Ana County. The Veterans Advisory Board is in charge of all physical changes and updates to the Veterans Memorial Park. The city also has a Veterans Corner Liaison. You can contact this person with any questions about veterans in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
