Anthem Veterans Memorial This link shows the Anthem Veterans Memorial monument in Anthem, AZ. Opened in 2015, it honors the sacrifice and service of the members of the United States Armed Forces. The memorial’s five white pillars represent the nation’s military branches and are arranged in Department of Defense order of precedence: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Each pillar has an elliptical opening that slants downward toward The Great Seal of the United States. On Veterans Day, November 11, the design causes the sun’s rays to spotlight the Great Seal at precisely 11:11:11 AM, the date and time of the WW I armistice in 1918. This award-winning monument is surrounded by 750 red paving stones engraved with veterans’ names. The red pavers, the white pillars, and the blue Arizona sky represent the colors in the flag of the United States. (Text adapted from Wikipedia entry)

Lest We Forget: The Mission This link shows the magnum opus of Major Fredric Arnold (Retired), sculptor and sole surviving member of his WW II P-38 class of 24-J Group. In 2016, at age 94, he completed a monumental, life-sized bronze sculpture in memory of the more than 88,000 WW II airmen killed in action. Take the time to study the sculpture, view the video, read all of the information, and go through the website; it’s worth it.

Trader Jon’s This link shows the Trader Jon’s exhibit in downtown Pensacola. For decades Trader Jon’s was the watering hole of choice for the U.S. Naval Aviators, the Navy and Marine pilots who trained in Pensacola. The bar was known far and wide for the eccentricities of owner Martin “Trader Jon” Weissman and his massive collection of Navy memorabilia. The iconic South Palafox Street bar closed in 1998, a year after Weissman suffered a debilitating stroke. Trader Jon’s briefly reopened under new ownership after Weissman died in 2000, but the bar closed its doors for good in 2003. Now, a new exhibit has opened at Pensacola’s T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum and has recreated the bar and showcased the memorabilia that had been sitting in storage for more than a decade. Follow the link for pictures and more text. [The Pulse, October 27, 2016]

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