Oklahoma Veterans Memorial

Constructed to honor Oklahoma war veterans killed in action, the Oklahoma Veterans’ Memorial is located just minutes away from downtown Oklahoma City and other popular local attractions. “The Big Guy” leads the way on the north side of the Oklahoma State Supreme Court. He stands 8½ feet tall and is on a 3½ foot pedestal. His bronze face has the features of a Native American who is wearing the gear of a Vietnam soldier. Behind him are four walls with bas relief bronze panels representing World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Respectfully located on the front of each panel are scenes depicting each of these wars. Reverently placed on the back of the walls are the names of the Oklahomans killed in action during that particular war. Flag poles fly the flags of each branch of the Armed Forces and the Oklahoma State flag. “Old Glory” is honorably placed in the center. The “Eternal Flame” is aligned with “The Big Guy” and the center of the south entrance of the Oklahoma State Capitol building, humbly reminding our leaders that “we must never forget.” The State of Oklahoma donated the land for the memorial and its construction was funded by donations from all over the country. After completion of the memorial through the donations of private citizens, the maintenance and upkeep became the responsibility of the State of Oklahoma. Over the course of time the memorial came to need repair. Many thanks go to the Department of Central Services of the State of Oklahoma who were able to affect those repairs in 2012. There was also a desire to replace the bronze panels with laser engraved names on polished black granite, like on the Vietnam wall in Washington D.C. They were completed and installed by Willis Granite and were a very beautiful addition to the Veteran’s Day Ceremonies on November 11, 2012. The new walls permit the addition of names. The names of those Oklahomans killed in action from Operation Desert Storm to the present were added in 2014. Since then names are added as needed.