Texas Medal of Honor Memorial on Display in Gainesville, Texas
(Gainesville, July 24, 2018) – The Texas Medal of Honor Memorial recently moved from Midland, Texas to a temporary home in the library building of the North Central Texas College (NCTC) in Gainesville, Texas. The Memorial honors native Texan recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. It can be viewed in the NCTC library building during normal opening hours and is accessible to the public. Free parking is available in front of the library building and the facility is wheelchair accessible.
Sculpted by Doyle Glass and Scott Boyer, the statue and accompanying exhibits were dedicated on Memorial Day in 2008. The Memorial depicts native Texan Medal of Honor recipient George H. O'Brien, Jr. as he appeared on the day he demonstrated multiple acts of valor for which his Medal of Honor was presented. Perched on a rock, the heroic-sized bronze figure rises above a granite base which displays the names of Texan recipients of the Medal from the Civil War through the War in Iraq. Accompanying the memorial statue are display cases with descriptions of other native Texans who received the Medal of Honor as well as an interactive video display unit.
This memorial and accompanying exhibits are maintained by the Ground Forces Detachment of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), based in Gainesville, Texas. The memorial will be available to the public at the NCTC Library while a permanent home for the memorial, educational programs, and a living history space is established.
Hosting the Texas Medal of Honor Memorial in Gainesville was accomplished by the Medal of Honor Host City Program, the NCTC, and the CAF working together. This collaboration enhances the experience of anyone visiting Gainesville to learn about the Medal of Honor and demonstrates the city’s patriotism and appreciation for all who serve.
The entire CAF Ground Forces Detachment staff would like to thank and recognize the collaborative efforts of Mr. John Sprouse, Detachment Leader, CAF Ground Forces, Dr. Wallace of North Central Texas College (http://nctc.edu/) and Mr. Tommy Moore, President of the Gainesville Medal of Honor Host City Program (http://medalofhonorhostcity.com/), for the collaboration bringing the memorial to NCTC and making it available for public viewing.
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About the CAF Ground Forces Detachment
The CAF Ground Forces Detachment was founded in 2018 to provide educational experiences for today’s youth, outreach programs to regional schools, and expand the CAF events with ground equipment and living history experiences for the public. The detachment, composed of 30+ volunteers across the U.S., is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. http://www.cafgroundforces.org/.
