Airborne Trooper Statue (Iron Mike)

Front, Outside edge of landscape feature: IRON MIKE / IN HONOR OF / AIRBORNE TROOPERS / WHOSE COURAGE, / DEDICATION, AND / TRADITIONS MAKE THEM / THE WORLD’S FINEST / FIGHTING SOLDIERS. Front, rock base: THE ROCK BASE BENEATH IRON MIKE HAS ITS OWN STORY. IN JULY 1942 OVER 5,000 / MEN ARRIVED AT CAMP TOCCOA FOR TRAINING AS A NEW TYPE OF SOLDIER, A / PARATROOPER. OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS OVER 17,000 SOLDIERS OF THE 501ST, 506TH, / 511TH AND THE 517 PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENTS TRAINED AT CAMP TOCCOA. / THESE BOULDERS WERE ACQUIRED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LANDOWNER, THE US / ARMY AND THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE FROM THE STORIED CURRAHEE MOUNTAIN IN / TOCCOA, GEORGIA. TODAY “CURRAHEE’ IS THE MOTTO OF THE 506TH PIR. / “CURRAHEE IS A NATIVE AMERICAN WORK THAT MEANS “STAND ALONE”. / PARATROOPERS “STAND ALONE” AS THEY DROP BEHIND ENEMY LINES.