When many people think of monuments dedicated to fallen heroes, most think about the larger-than-life buildings of Washington DC such as the World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Memorials. Monuments are lasting reminders of someone or something notable, and those at our nation’s capital are nothing less than spectacular. The great thing about these places of honor is that they allow people to pay homage to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our way of life, indeed our freedom. These places mean different things to different people. For school children many of the granite, limestone, and marble buildings help reinforce that which was studied in classrooms across America. For veterans, such as me, war monuments are places to bond with the spirits of the dead.

 

I remember the first time I visited the Vietnam Memorial. I had just returned from a six-month deployment aboard the USS Saratoga. At that point, I felt an obligation to visit the names of those who served before me because I wanted to feel the presence of kindred souls, but also, I wanted to visit the name of my uncle, Curtis Breedlove, who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and whose name appears on the wall. Mere words will never express the overwhelming emotional power of that place. As I was trying to locate his name, I saw all the other names listed alongside his, and the reality that all these men were forever silent was almost too much to bear. I couldn’t help myself; the moment I found Uncle Curtis’s name, I began to sob because I felt the pain of so many families who lost sons, husbands, brothers, uncles, and friends. I had never experienced that kind of sorrow before, and I will never forget it.

 

The unfortunate truth of these places is that one must travel to Washington DC in order to fully appreciate their majesty. Not every American will able to see for themselves the grandeur of Washington DC, and what I think is interesting is that there are local alternatives people can visit in lieu of visiting the most famous monuments. Many communities have erected their own monuments to fallen heroes. One of the most impressive I have seen was established in Newport News, Virginia in 1919. The Victory Arch is a beautiful monument dedicated to those who served during World War I, and the way it was built is in a similar fashion as the monuments of Washington DC. The Victory Arch is almost a small replica of the Arc de Triomphe of Paris, France. So, if you are ever in the Newport News, Virginia area, you should take a couple of minutes to enjoy their Victory Arch; you’ll be glad you did.