Plaques, honor rolls and tablets among commemorations to service.
The American Legion’s online memorials database currently stands at just under 3,900 entries. A number of these – from some institutions centuries old – were established by churches seeking to honor the service of their military members. Among them:
Miller's Grove Church, Barrington Hills, Ill.: “This church was a Civil War recruiting station and the memorial is dedicated to all the citizens of Barrington Township who served in the Civil War.” Local American Legion Post 158 erected the memorial tablet.
Tennent Church Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Tennent, N.J.: “From a November 1920 newspaper article describing the monument: ‘This is a 30 ton monument from a design known as the Temple of Victory and is manufactured from fine Barra granite.’ The monument consists of ‘four round columns on a ten foot square base which supports a dome standing 14 feet three inches high. In the center, under the dome, rests a two foot square granite block to which is attached bronze plates bearing the names of all soldiers and sailors from Monmouth County who were killed during the war, 106 total.’ There are no longer bronze plates on the monument, the names are inscribed into a granite stone.”
San Felipe Parish Honor Roll, Albuquerque, N.M.: “A framed paper document containing the names of parishioners who served their country in World War II, including five women who served in the Army, Navy and Marines. The parish was founded in 1706 with the present building dating from 1792.”
Heritage Methodist Honor Roll, Ligonier, Pa.: “Plaque located on interior wall of church. It lists the names of those congregation members who are veterans. Though the date of creation is uncertain, the style of the plastic name plates indicate a likely origin in the 1960-70s. It is continually updated. The congregation was authorized by a letter dated September 29, 1788 postmarked from Bristol, England from the Father of Methodism, John Wesley.”
Memorial to Patriots and a Soldier Buried at Bruton Parish Church, Williamsburg, Va.: “Heavy metal engraved plaque was installed in 2012 by the Williamsburg Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution to recognize an identified Revolutionary War soldier and two Patriots who supported the Revolution and are buried in the adjacent church cemetery.”
The Legion has launched a campaign to grow the database to 4,000 by Memorial Day 2027. An online form makes it easy to gather and submit information on monuments and memorials as well as upload photos, even from a mobile device. The database is searchable by state or keyword; see what has already been listed in your area, then get started on filling in the gaps.
- Honor & Remembrance