VA Central California Health Care System
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Wall of Honor 2012
A Rifle Saluted was executed by the Command Honor Guard
November, 2012 On Saturday, November 3, at the Fresno VA Hospital, VA Central California Health Care System unveiled the 5th annual addition to the Wall of Honor. 160 new plaques etched with the names of 177 members of the military, including 9 Killed In Action were added to the wall. The Wall of Honor began in 2008 as an employee project by VA Central California staff. Each year, the VA’s Leadership Class undertakes an improvement project at the 61 year old Fresno VA hospital. The 2008 Leadership Class envisioned a memorial along the front of the hospital’s grounds, honoring all Veterans, and modeled after the Washington DC Vietnam memorial. This year’s addition of 177 names etched on 160 plaques spanning 7 polished black granite panels at the front entrance of the VA hospital includes 9 with gold stars indicating they were Killed In Action. This year’s names brings the total number of service members listed on the Wall of Honor to 1,085 including more than 40 Killed In Action. The Wall honors both peace time Veterans as well as those who served In World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan. This year, the VA will be adding the name of a Veteran from the American Revolution. Families and friends of military service members submit to the Fresno VA hospital the names of their comrades or loved ones. With the generous assistance of the U.S. Air Power Museum, each name is etched onto a beautiful 4” x 8” black granite plaque, and installed on the Wall of Honor. This year’s unveiling included Nationally Syndicated Journalist Victor Davis Hansen, Paul Loeffler, host KMJ’s Hometown Heroes, and Karen Meredith of Gold Star Mothers. The event incorporated the release of white doves in honor of fallen service members as well as the opportunity for friends and loved ones to make tracing of the names of their service members who are memorialized on the Wall. |
