The War Memorial & Remembrance Album
Perspectives on Our Past
By Grand Historian Bob McCully (San Diego State)
As I've mentioned in prior columns, there are almost 700 Sigma Nu initiates killed in action in wars fought by the U.S. and Canada. Each of their stories is just as poignant and heartbreaking. They were someone’s sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, and friends.
How can we repay them for their sacrifice? Simply put — we can’t. However, it’s important that we tell their stories of courage and dedication and ensure they are not forgotten. They were cut down in the prime of their life; who knows what they might have accomplished had they lived. The very least we can do is remember and honor them for what they did for us.
We plan to add a new War Memorial to the existing Robert Marchman Memorial Flag Pavilion at Sigma Nu headquarters. The Pavilion, dedicated in 2004, was originally established to honor all of our veterans who served in the military. In addition to a wall, it consists of bricks in which chapters, families, and friends can have the name of a Sigma Nu veteran etched into a brick.
Although the design for the War Memorial is not yet final, current plans call for it to be an expansion of the Flag Pavilion and it will include the names and chapters of each of the men who fought and died so bravely.
Although I have room in this column for only two, we intend to remember and pay tribute to all our fallen brothers through an album or database at our headquarters. Each will be honored with a photo and description of the circumstances of his death. This information will be available to anyone that visits our headquarters. Those who stand at the War Memorial and see a name and a chapter will be able to find out more about these heroes.
I hope you will join me in making sure these men are not forgotten. We need to honor them for what they sacrificed for each of us and our country. We will recognize donors to reflect their commitment to remembering these men.
The Sigma Nu Educational Foundation is continuing to seek contributions for the construction of the War Memorial and other plans to honor our fallen heroes. Please help us by making a tax-deductible contribution for this important monument at sigmanu.org/war-memorial or by sending a check to:
Sigma Nu Educational Foundation
PO Box 1869
Lexington, VA 24450.
Please indicate that the contribution is for the “War Memorial.
It’s the least we can do for these brothers who gave their all on the battlefield.
THEY HAVE DONE THEIR DUTY – TO REMEMBER AND HONOR THEM IS OURS.