World War I Memorial - Leonardtown MD
N 38° 17.452 W 076° 38.156
18S E 356934 N 4239354
A monument was dedicated to honor servicemen of St. Mary's County, MD who lost their lives in World War I.
Waymark Code: WMEFDB
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 05/21/2012
Views: 2
The Town Square is in the heart of Leonardtown, Maryland. The upper square is often referred to as the War Memorials Garden. In the center stands the World War I Memorial. The two-sided monument has four bronze plaques with the names of 27 St. Mary's County residents who lost their lives in the war.
The monument was dedicated on November 11, 1921 then known as Armistice Day.* 1500 people attended the ceremony which included ex-servicemen, the Red Cross, mass, and a parade.
The monument was rededicated on Memorial Day, 1986 after it was vandalized and repaired.
The inscription on the front of the monument reads:
GLORIA · PRO · PATRIA · IN · ARMIS · CONTENDERE ·
THIS MONUMENT IS GRATEFULLY ERECTED
BY THE CITIZEN OF ST. MARY'S COUNTY
IN HONOR OF
HER HEROES IN THE WORLD WAR
1917 — 1918
AND DEDICATED THIS 11TH DAY OF
NOVEMBER - 1921
Above the inscription is an emblem of a sword with a laurel of leaves at its hilt.
The inscription on the back reads:
GLORIA · PRO · PATRIA · MORI ·
THE NAMES ON THIS MONUMENT
ARE OF THOSE
WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
Above the inscription is an emblem of an anchor with a laurel of leaves.
Plaques with the names of those KIA flank the inscriptions on both sides. The WHITE troops are listed on one side; the COLORED are listed on the other side.
*It was called Armistice Day because WWI was declared over at the 11th hour of 11/11/1918. It was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to include all foreign wars.
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