Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial Dedication – Full Program – MNMOHMEM Board
Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial unveiled outside State Capitol – WCCO 4
Medal of Honor memorial dedicated at State Capitol – KSTP 5
Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial dedication – KMSP FOX 9
Dedication of the Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial – MN Senate Media
Medal of Honor Memorial added to Capitol – KMSP FOX 9
Planes fly over Minnesota State Capitol during Medal of Honor Memorial dedication – KMSP FOX 9
Inside of B-25 Mitchell Bomber plane during Medal of Honor Memorial dedication – KMSP FOX 9
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Design Provided by HGA
Location
The Memorial was approved by the 2016 Minnesota Legislature to be constructed under the Veteran’s Services Building at the main entrance of the Mall in prominent view of the Capitol. The Memorial design provides symbolic ties to the Medal itself and also the character virtues and values Medal of Honor recipients leave as their legacy to our youth. The Memorial will honor Medal of Honor and Medal of Valor recipients, veterans, our youth, and future generations.
In 1931, Cass Gilbert’s third and last sketch of the approach to the Capitol Building featured a tall spire reflecting Gilbert’s vision and desire that there be a memorial tribute to veterans at the far south end of the Capitol Mall. After WWII, a decision was made to honor veterans with a building to provide necessary military veteran services, that now also provides a visual backdrop at the south end of the Capitol Mall. It is there that there is another circle of memorials and tributes to military veterans and wars, not unlike the circle of monuments that surround in close proximity the Capital Building. Also since WWII, a Court of Honor tribute to veterans has been added forming a circular area on the mall north of the Veteran Services Building with most recently a WWII War Memorial in the middle of that area. Also more recently and either side of the Court of Honor a Vietnam and Korean Memorial and a Military Family Tribute have been added.
Shortly after WWII a reflecting pool and a statute within the pool was built immediately north of the Veteran Services Building that is referred to as the Promise of Youth. The monument has not generally been understood and has been discredited for not being relevant to veteran recognition or issues. Additionally, the Promise of Youth monument does not and has not functioned as intended as a reflecting pool nor does the mechanical statute operate.
The Medal of Honor Memorial would occupy and be confined to the footprint of the existing reflecting pool and again function as originally intended as a functioning reflecting pool and operating mechanical statute along with being a Medal of Honor Memorial. A Medal of Honor Memorial within the footprint of the Promise of Youth reflecting pool would clearly and meaningfully convey the intended function of the Promise of Youth element that veterans in securing and maintaining our rights and freedoms have provided our youth with the means to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of all Americans.
A Medal of Honor Memorial located at the south end of the mall and visibly in full view from the Capital Building would appropriately honor the most admired and respected of all of our veterans. The honorable service and sacrifice of the individual Minnesota veteran would also be reflective in varying degrees of the character attributes and actions of the Medal of Honor recipients and all recipients of medals of valor.
Who is Cass Gilbert?
Historical Significance- Why Minnesota?
Minnesotans have faithfully served and sacrificed in all our nation’s wars. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Minnesota was the first state to offer soldiers to President Lincoln in defense of the Union. To the present day, Minnesotans have served our state and country with great distinction including awards of our Nation’s greatest honor, the Medal of Honor. A total of 72 Minnesotans has been awarded the Medal of Honor.
Minnesotans have been awarded Medals of Honor in all wars and conflicts from the Civil War through Vietnam. Of the 72 Minnesotans awarded the Medal of Honor, 3 were awarded for actions not during a time of war including Charles Lindbergh, who made the first plane flight across the Atlantic to France in 1927.
On the Minnesota State Capitol grounds, veterans are honored with memorials according to the wars in which they served. However, the Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial is the first memorial to recognize the valor of the individual veteran exemplified by the Minnesota Medal of Honor recipients.
2013 marked the 150th anniversary of the presentation of the first Medal of Honor by President Lincoln. It was in 1864 that the first Minnesotan was awarded the Medal of Honor.