World War II Memorial - Heroes Plaza - El Reno, Oklahoma
N 35° 31.997 W 097° 57.170
14S E 594933 N 3932688
Just over 100 Canadian County residents died in action during World War II. This monument is dedicated to them as part of the much larger memorial dedicated to those who died in each of the 20th and 21st Century American wars.
Waymark Code: WMENT7
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 06/20/2012
Views: 7
Heroes Plaza is moving and inspiring; it represents the best of small-town America. The plaza is located at the northwest corner of N. Rock Island Ave. and E. Woodson. It was dedicated on July 4, 2000. The plaza portion has a brick wall with typical, but quite artistic memorial bricks dedicated to veterans, other individuals, organizations, companies, etc. Within the plaza are individual monuments dedicated to the various wars in which America has fought during the 20th and 21st Centuries. On each are the names of those from Canadian County who died in action. The back of the wall is covered by a magnificent mural depicting a military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.
The World War II monument is, of course, the largest in the group. It has names listed on both sides (which are clearly legible if you blow up the gallery picture). Also depicted on each side are the dates of the Americna involvement in the war (1941-1945), a world map, and "407,316 American fatalities."
The plaza was a group effort, apparently spearheaded by the City of El Reno, the El Reno Chamber of Commerce, Canadian County, and all of the El Reno veterans' groups (American Legion, DAV, etc.). The plaza was designed by Charlie Beecham, an El Reno resident and himself an Air Force veteran. He also designed the Jesse Reno statue (waymark WMEMY5) and the Historic El Reno mural (waymark WM5BKT).
Date of Dedication: 07/04/2000
Property Permission: Public
Access instructions: The parking lot is behind the plaza; entry off N. Rock Island Ave.
Location of waymark:
northwest corner, N. Rock Island Ave. & E. Woodson
El Reno, OK USA
73036
Commemoration: Canadian County residents who died in action during World War II
Access times: Not listed
Website for Waymark: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Include a photo containing, at minimum, the monument and your GPSr. We'd prefer a photo containing YOU at the monument, but we understand that some people are camera-shy.
Also include a bit about your visit here.