Today's post is a living memorial. I was on the campus of the University of Mississippi when I came across what I thought was merely a nice stand of magnolia trees. As the sign notes, Estella Hefley, the Dean of Women at Ole Miss, and her students planted these trees in honor of the university’s war dead in 1945. The sign notes that there is a plaque in the university’s Alumni House with the names of the fallen which was dedicated in 1951. However, day I visited in March 2021 that building was closed, and I was unable to get a photo. Mississippi is the Magnolia State and the tree’s flower graces the current state flag. A fitting and thoughtful memorial. I was pleased to see that although time or weather had taken a couple of the original trees that the university replaced them, so the grove remains intact.
0 Comments
At one point in time, it was not uncommon for American universities to have war memorials for those students, staff, faculty, and alumni who served in and perished in wars. Case in point, this statue honoring the students of Mississippi State University (then Mississippi State College) who died in the service of their nation during WWI. The statue was a gift of the class of 1932. Fifty-five Mississippi State (then known as Mississippi A&M) students were killed in the war. It is poignant that the inscription reads only "the World War" for little did they know that within the decade a new world war would erupt. The statue stands behind Lee Hall on the Mississippi State campus. The photo was taken in May 2022. The statue is marble and the base is granite. You can read more about the campus of Mississippi State in my other blog University Grounds. Compared to many other Allied nations, the number of U.S. personnel killed in battle was small at 53,402. None the less, that is more than were lost in Korea (33,739) and Vietnam (47,434) although we suffered more losses in Vietnam when including non-battle in-theatre deaths.
|
AboutWar Memorials is a blog about monuments, statues, plaques, and other dedications to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country and the cause of freedom. ArchivesCategories |