Iraq and Afghanistan War Memorial, Jeffersonville Indiana

Memorial, along with two flag poles.  The monument weighs more than ten tons.

Installed in October 2012 along the waterfront in Jeffersonville, Indiana, this is probably one of the first permanent public commemorations of America's recent wars.  How a society remembers its conflicts is an interesting subject, one we can only scratch the surface of here.  Early war memorials focus largely on largess, with themes of glory and patriotism.  More recently, a toned down scheme has taken over, with the goal being reflection upon those who served.  Regardless, here is a photo spread of this interesting memorial along the river.

Iraq, outlined on stone.  Twice in a generation Americans fought and died there.

Afghanistan.  Two generations in a row, Afghans knew of war and its effects.

 The most prominent and perhaps the most memorable part of the memorial is the black sphere mounted on it.  A vertical line divides it in half, and on each hemisphere the outline of a country is etched.  On one side is Afghanistan, and the other Iraq, each country is a deep scar on the shiny marble globe.

The sphere is seated on a marble triangle, which is itself resting on another triangle made of panels.  Each panel calls out a valued quality, Country, Duty, and Honor.  The whole monument is on a panel made of bricks, some of which feature engravings to reflect service by members of the community.  Backing the whole display is a pair of flagpoles, each with two flags. 

Memorializing American involvement in Afghanistan.

 

Commemoration of the first Gulf War in 1991.

 

Remembering the second one that began in 2003.

We here are Eerie Indian avoid politics whenever possible.  Everyone has their views, and we respect that.  Whatever the cause of these wars was, and whether they were rightly or wrongly fought, they all have effects here in the States.  If this memorial gives pause to those of us here, providing a spot for the remembering of those lost, than it serves its purpose well.

Local media article on the installation of the memorial.

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