The memorial depicts a present-day U.S. soldier on the move, slightly looking over his left shoulder behind a reflective piece of black granite.
The soldier’s expression is open to interpretation, artist Benjamin Victor said.
“When you think of a soldier going off to war, you think of duty and courage,” Victor said. “But behind that there’s possibly apprehension, maybe even an unwillingness to leave behind loved ones.”
Victor said he tried to show as many emotions as possible with one look.
“I think [the soldier is] saying goodbye to his family, he’s determined,” said Lt. Col. Tye Wallace, commanding officer of the 1/1. “This is about remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
The 1/1 Marines fought in several World War II campaigns including Guadalcanal and Okinawa. They fought in the Korean War, participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and were in Vietnam campaigns in Da Nang and Khe Sanh. They also took part in the first Gulf War and the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Their memorial was years in the making. Newport Beach “adopted” the 1/1 as the city’s battalion in 2003 and have so far contributed almost $600,000 to support the wounded and their families. The memorial was suggested by Councilman Keith Curry.
“We want today’s Marines to be able to come back years from now and show this to their kids and tell their stories,” Curry said. Last year a special committee fielded proposals from around the world for the memorial. Victor’s representation won unanimously.
