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Greatest Generation Walking Tour
(May 14, 2010) |
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The Greatest Generation Walking Tour is a
collection of U.S. military heritage art in Tuna Harbor Park in
downtown San Diego, located next to the USS Midway museum. |
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SAN DIEGO (MCN -5/9/2010) — “Two things have altered not since first the
world began. The beauty of the wild green earth and the bravery of man,”
said Theodore Percival Cameron Wilson in his poem “Magpies in Picardy.”
One can enjoy and celebrate both under the sunny San Diego sky at The
Greatest Generation Walking Tour, which is a collection of U.S. military
heritage art in Tuna Harbor Park, located next to the USS Midway museum.
The Greatest Generation Collection honors and celebrates the people, events
and military heritage spanning the time from World War II to today in a
beautiful garden setting.
The walking tour begins in the shadow of the USS Midway on a tree-lined path
that starts at the “Aircraft Carrier Memorial” by T.J. Dixon and James
Nelson. A nine-foot tall black granite statue lists all of the U.S. Naval
aircraft carriers, while statues of an enlisted airman and a naval aviator
look on.
Continuing down the path, the next memorial art encountered is a sculpture
titled “Homecoming” by Stanley Bleifield. The statue depicts the reunion of
a sailor and a woman, who are locked in a warm embrace. A child wraps his
arms around his parents, a touching homage to the sacrifices made by
families during a deployment.The next tribute on the walk is the “Battle of Leyte
Gulf Memorial and Admiral Sprague Bust” by Moon Kim. The
memorial is dedicated to Sprague and the 13 ships and 7,300
men that were under his command during the heroic naval
action fought off the island of Samar on Oct. 25, 1944,
during |
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the Battle for Leyte Gulf. |
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The Greatest Generation Walking Tour in downtown
San Diego begins at the "Aircraft Carrier Memorial" by T.J.
Dixon and James Nelson. A nine-foot tall black granite statue
lists all of the U.S. Naval aircraft carriers while statues of
an enlisted airman and naval aviator look on. |
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The next piece of art, a recognizable image for most Americans, is
“Unconditional Surrender” by J. Seward Johnson. The 25-foot tall statue
depicts a famous photograph taken in Times Square in New York City, where a
sailor grabs a young nurse and kisses her at the announcement of the end of
World War II. |
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25-foot tall statue "Unconditional Surrender" by J. Seward Johnson,
depicts a famous photograph taken in Times Square in New York City,
where a sailor grabs a young nurse and kisses her at the
announcement of the end of World War II. The statue is part of The
Greatest Generation Walking Tour in downtown San Diego. |
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A statue of Bob Hope at the "National Salute
to Bob Hope and the Military" by Eugene Daub and Steven
Whyte, looks out into a crowd of bronze statues of military
service members. The memorial is part of the Greatest
Generation Walking Tour in downtown San Diego. |
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The
last stop on The Greatest Generation Walking Tour is the "USS San
Diego Memorial" by Eugene Daub and Louis Quaintance. |
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After the iconic statue, the path leads through thick, green vegetation to a
shaded patio. The “National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military” by Eugene
Daub and Steven Whyte greets visitors with the sounds of the iconic
funny-mans' stand-up comedy for the troops. A statue of Hope stands in front
of 16 bronze sculptures depicting military audience members, including a
fighter pilot, World War II Marine Corps sergeant, Korean War Marine and
many others.
The final monument along the peaceful walk is the “USS San Diego Memorial”
by Eugene Daub and Louis Quaintance. The geometric walls of the statue
depict locations and names of the different battles fought during World War
II, and a bronze sculpture of a sailor represents the many heroes that
fought valiantly during the war.
Although The Greatest Generation Walking Tour is open to everyone to reflect
and remember for free all the time, one upcoming holiday offers visitors an
especially meaningful experience.
"The Port of San Diego is proud to have this memorial along the waterfront
to honor those who served our country," said the Port of San Diego Chairman
of the Board of Port Commissioners Stephen Cushman. "Memorial Day is the
perfect opportunity for the public to get out on the Big Bay and see the
Greatest Generation Collection."
For a map and more information about the tour, visit the Web site
www.portofsandiego.org. |
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Article and photos by USMC Cpl Aubry L. Buzek
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
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