WALL OF HONOR [Add a Veteran's Name]

The Wall of Honor is actually two separate stainless steel frames, each 25’ wide and 9’ high.  These frames hold sixty (60) black granite Plaques that are arranged into twenty (20) Panels, with three (3) Plaques in each Panel.  The Plaques are polished on both sides to provide front and backside lettering surfaces.  Each Plaque is 4’ 5 1/2” wide, 24” high and 1 ¼” thick, weighing approximately 200 pounds.  The total weight of the wall is nearly 6,000 pounds.

[Search the Names]

The granite Plaques are absolute black granite, quarried near Xiamen, China, one of three countries in the world (including India and South Africa) where absolute black granite is available.  The granite was obtained by Schmitt Monument, Blair, NE through Mark Nieranhausen Granites, Cold Springs, MN.

Lettering is light gray in color, which is the natural color of the quarried stone prior to polishing.  This presents a sharp contrast with the polished black surface, making the names extremely legible.  The size of the lettering is .520 and the depth of the sandblasted characters is approximately 3/16”.  Helvetica lettering style was chosen for its simplicity and legibility.  Schmitt Monument Company invested nearly 420 hours in fabrication and sandblasting for the initial engraving.

HOW MANY NAMES ARE ON THE WALL?

6,300 names (99,183 characters) were engraved in time for the November 11, 2008 dedication.  6,200 names are from records and requests compiled on or before an April 15, 2008 deadline.  The final 100 names are additions or corrections received after the deadline and before the final Panels were engraved October 31, 2008.  The names of 120 heroes who died while in service to our country are highlighted in gold. 

HOW NAMES ARE ARRANGED

Names are listed alphabetically without regard to dates of service or military affiliation.  The names on each Plaque are arranged in five columns, with thirty names per column.  Three Plaques form a Panel, and each of the twenty Panels has a capacity of 450 names.  A maximum of 9,000 names can be engraved on the wall.

The twenty Panels are numbered 1-10 (left-to-right) facing the front of the wall, and 11-20 (left-to-right) facing the back.  Plaques are numbered 1-3 (top-to-bottom) in each Panel.  Columns are numbered 1-5 (left-to-right) and Rows are numbered 1-30 (top-to-bottom) in each Column.

HOW THE NAMES WERE OBTAINED

In 2001, Pat Hunsche, Blair, NE, began to compile, verify, and document the names of thousands of service members from service records at the Washington County Veterans Service, obituaries, and calls and letters from family members and friends of veterans.  Pat and the Washington County Genealogical Society also verified names with cemetery records.  Articles have appeared in the local Arlington and Blair newspapers, and forms to add a veteran name have been available throughout Washington County for most of 2008.  This has been a monumental task.  Pat and the committee recognize there are omissions and perhaps a few inaccuracies in the initial engraving.  Veterans whose names are omitted can have them added to the Wall of Honor at the next annual engraving.  Every accommodation was made to include late submissions during the engraving process. 

ARE ANY CIVILIAN NAMES ON THE WALL?

No, this memorial is a tribute to the thousands of men and women, living and dead, who have lived in Washington County and served in our country’s military.