Rockland Unveils Gulf War/War on Terror Monument Saturday

HAVERSTRAW, NY — The Rockland County Gulf War/War on Terror Monument will be unveiled Saturday. The monument is in honor of all those who served in the Gulf War and the War on Terror, and for those Rockland County residents that made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

WHEN: noon Nov. 10, 2018

WHERE: Haverstraw Bay County Park, 21 Gagan Road, Haverstraw, NY.

The ceremony is expected to be an hour long; highlights include: remarks from Gold Star parent Yolanda Lopez, mother of Cpl. Manny Lopez who was killed in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2005; keynote address by Lieutenant General Dennis J. Hejlik, USMC (Ret.); recognition of the design committee; and the unveiling of the Monument.

The Gulf War/War on Terror Monument was designed by a group of veterans from each of these conflicts.

The monument itself is comprised of several sections:

• Five concrete barriers known as T-Walls. T-Walls have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan to protect service members from indirect and direct fire. Mounted on these walls are granite plaques with the eight names of those service members who lost their lives in support of combat operations throughout the conflict areas.
• The back wall shows a timeline of the conflicts carved in granite. The center of this wall is a Gold Star that represents all of the families who have lost loved ones during this period.
• In front of the Gold Star is a rifle facing downward with a helmet on top and combat boots at its base. This is the symbol all service members know as a memorial to a lost comrade in battle.
• To the side of the wall is a statue of a female Marine Canine Handler. This statue is purposely set back on overwatch of this sacred ground.
• The ground around the monument and between the walls is the color of desert sand. The T-walls are set with wider bases so that visitors to the site can sit and pay tribute to those who served.

The committee who designed the monument said they hoped the place would become a site for those who have served to come and reflect on their service, remember those they lost and find some closure to the horrors of war.

The land where this monument has been built was purposely designated by Rockland County so that it overlooks the 9/11 Memorial that is forever tied to all of these struggles.

Image via Shutterstock