Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial facts for kids
The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial is a special place in Irvine, California. It remembers brave American troops who lost their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The memorial lists the names of all American service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn.
You can find this unique memorial at Northwood Community Park. It's the only known memorial in the United States that lists by name every American soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine killed in these conflicts. For many years, local people would set up a temporary memorial in the park. They held ceremonies on special days like Memorial Day and Veterans Day. A permanent memorial was built in the same spot and opened on November 14, 2010.
Remembering Our Heroes
The idea for the memorial started shortly after the Iraq War began. A local Irvine resident named Asher Milgrom heard about the deaths of about thirty soldiers. He decided to create the first display in the park.
This original memorial had thirty wooden posts. Each post showed the names and photos of the fallen soldiers. From 2003 onwards, people from the community came together every year. They would set up this temporary memorial from Memorial Day until just after Independence Day.
Andy Zelinko, a retired resident, shared his thoughts. He said it was special to have a memorial that honored fallen soldiers while the conflict was still happening. Usually, memorials are built many years later.
Building a Permanent Memorial
Starting in 2006, a group of Irvine residents worked to create a permanent memorial. They wanted it near where the temporary one was set up each year. After some discussions, the Irvine City Council agreed to the plan in late 2009.
The city approved using $150,000 for the project. The total cost was $210,000. Community members promised to raise the rest of the money through donations. The final decision was made on December 8, 2009. They decided how the names would be listed, like if they would be in alphabetical order.
Many people helped with the project. Volunteers and contractors gave their time for free, saving about $60,000 in labor costs. The rest of the money covered materials, management, and city costs.
Keeping the Memorial Updated
The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial is special because it's the first and only one of its kind. It was designed to be updated over time. This means new names can be added as more American service members are lost in these conflicts.
When the memorial was first dedicated, it showed the names of 5,714 American casualties. By May 25, 2015, the memorial displayed 6,829 names. These names include all those reported by the Pentagon who died between October 1, 2001, and December 28, 2014.
What the Memorial Looks Like
The memorial lists the names of all American military members. These are the names reported by the Department of Defense. They include those who died while serving in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn.
The memorial has blank panels ready for future names. When new names need to be added, they are carved onto these panels right at the memorial site. A special fund is being saved to pay for this future engraving. There are also plans to make the memorial bigger if needed. Each panel can hold about 350 names.
Memorial Features
The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial includes several important parts:
- A special Monument sign and a plaque explaining the memorial.
- A lighted flagpole where the American flag flies.
- A paved walkway for visitors to walk along.
- Three comfortable bench seats for reflection.
- Five granite pedestals that hold the names of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardmen, and Marines.
- Space for about 8,000 names, with plans to add new names regularly.
