The Walk of Heroes

A key feature in the Walk of Heroes Veterans War Memorial is the Walk of Heroes itself. This walkway which spans the length of the memorial is crossed by 72 marble bands ranging from 10″ to 32″ wide engraved with the actions of America’s military during that year. In October 2023, Walk of Heroes Veterans War Memorial expanded the marble bands to accommodated the Global War On Terrorism.

Each marble band represents a year where American Armed Forces were deployed overseas in armed conflicts and as peacekeepers and is engraved with the year, the country and a brief description of the conflict. Below is a representation of these marble bands. Scroll down the page to read about the history of America’s involvement around the world and be sure to come and visit the memorial where you can walk this history yourself.

1) 1900 – China – Boxer Rebellion: U.S. troops participated in operations to protect foreign lives, particularly in Peking.

2) 1901 – Panama – U.S. troops protected American property and kept transit lines open during revolutionary disturbances.

3) 1902 – Columbia – U.S. troops protected American lives and property at Bocas del Toro during a civil war.

Panama – U.S. troops kept the railroad open and U.S. ships were stationed on both sides of the isthmus to prevent Colombian troops from landing.

4) 1903 – Honduras – U.S. troops protected the American consulate and the wharf at Puerto Cortes during revolutionary activity.

Dominican Republic – U.S. troops landed to protect American interests in Santo Domingo during revolutionary activity.

Syria – U.S. troops protected the American consulate in Beirut in anticipation of a Muslim uprising.

Abyssinia – U.S. troops protected the American Consul General while he negotiated a treaty.

Panama – U.S. troops protected American lives and interests during and after the revolution for independence from Columbia.

5) 1904 – Dominican Republic – U.S. troops established a no-fighting area and protected American interests in several cities during revolutionary fighting. Morocco – U.S. troops landed to protect the American Consul General and force the release of a captured civilian.

Panama – U.S. troops protected American lives and interests at Ancon during a threatened insurrection.

Korea – U.S. troops protected the American legation in Seoul during the Russo-Japanese war.

6) 1906 – Cuba – U.S. troops protected interests and helped re-establish a government following revolutionary activity.

7) 1907 – Honduras – U.S. troops protected American interests in several cities during a war between Honduras and Nicaragua.

8) 1910 – Nicaragua – In reaction to the execution of revolutionaries, U.S. troops were sent to protect American lives and interests at Bluefields.

9) 1911 – Honduras – U.S. troops protected American lives and interests during a civil war.

China – U.S. troops protected American interests and the American consulate at Hankow during revolutionary activities.

10) 1912 – Honduras – A small U.S. force landed to prevent seizure of an American owned railroad.  The U.S. government disapproved of the action, and the forces were withdrawn.

Panama – At the request of both Panamanian political parties, U.S. troops supervised elections outside the Canal Zone.

Cuba – U.S. troops protected American interests in Havana and on the Province of Oriente as a result of revolutionary activity.

China – U.S. forces protected American lives and interests during revolutionary activity.

Nicaragua – U.S. forces protected American interests during an attempted revolution.  A small force, serving as a legation guard, remained until August 5, 1925 to promote peace and stability.

China –Following the Kuomintang Rebellion, Japan invaded China.  As a result of treaties with China, and in protection of U.S. interests, U.S. forces maintained a guard at Peking and along the route to the sea.  U.S. forces remained off and on until 1941.

Turkey – U.S. troops guarded the American legation at Constantinople during the Balkan War.

11) 1913 – Mexico – U.S. troops landed at Ciaris Estero to aid the evacuation of American citizens from Yaqui Valley due to civil strife.

12) 1914 – Haiti – U.S. forces protected American lives and interests during rioting and revolutionary activities.

Mexico – U.S. troops fought against the military forces of Francisco “Pancho” Villa.  General Pershing led 10,000 troops to capture Pancho Villa.

Dominican Republic – U.S. forces stopped the bombardment of Puerto Plata during revolutionary activities, and maintained Santo Domingo as a neutral zone.

13) 1915 – Haiti – U.S. troops began 19-year occupation to maintain order during chronic political instability.

14) 1916 – China – U.S. troops quelled a riot taking place on American property in Nanking.

Dominican Republic – U.S. naval forces maintained order during period of chronic threatened insurrections.

15) 1917 – China – U.S. troops landed at Chongqing to protect American lives during a political crisis.

World War I – As a result of Germany’s submarine warfare against civilian ships, the U.S. declared war against Germany on April 6, and Austria Hungary on December 7.

Cuba – U.S. troops protected American interests during an insurrection.

16) 1918 – Mexico – After the withdrawal of the Pershing Expedition, U.S. troops began a two-year periodic entrance into Mexico in pursuit of bandits.

Panama – As a result of treaty stipulations, U.S. troops served police duty during election disturbances and subsequent unrest.

Soviet Union – U.S. troops protected the American consulate in Vladivostok as a result of fighting between Bolshevik troops and the Czech army during the Bolshevik revolution.

17) 1919 – Dalmatia (Croatia) – At the request of the Italian authorities, U.S. troops served as police between Italians and Serbs.

Turkey – U.S. troops guarded the American consulate during the Greek occupation of Constantinople.

Honduras – U.S. troops maintained order in a neutral zone during an attempted revolution.

18) 1920 – Russia – U.S. troops protected an American radio station and American property on an island in the Bay of Vladivostok.

China – U.S. troops protected lives during a disturbance at Kiukiang.

Guatemala – U.S. troops protected the American Legation and American interests during fighting between Unionists and the Government of Guatemala.

19) 1921 – Panama – U.S. forces made demonstrations on both sides of the Isthmus to prevent a war between Panama and Costa Rica over a border dispute.

20) 1922 – China – U.S. troops protected American interests during periods of unrest.

Turkey – U.S. troops, by consent of Greek and Turkish authorities, protected American lives and interests when Turkish nationalists entered Smyrna.

21) 1924 – Honduras – U.S. troops protected American lives and interests during election hostilities.

China – U.S. troops protected American and foreign lives during Chinese factional hostilities in Shanghai.

22) 1925 – China – Following riots in Shanghai, U.S. troops returned to protect American lives and property during the International Settlement.

Honduras – U.S. troops protected foreign lives at La Ceiba during a political upheaval.

Panama – Following strikes and rent riots, U.S. troops landed to keep order and to protect American interests.

23) 1926 – Nicaragua – U.S. troops protected American interests following a coup d’etat.  Troops came and went intermittently until 1933.

China – U.S. troops protected American and foreign lives in Hankow and Kiukiang following Nationalist attacks.

24) 1927 – China – As a result of fighting in Shanghai, U.S. troop presence increased in Shanghai and Tientsin to protect American and foreign lives.

25) 1932 – China – U.S. troops protected American interests during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai.

26) 1933 – Cuba – U.S. forces made demonstrations during a revolution against President Gerardo Machado.

27) 1934 – China – U.S. troops protected the American consulate at Foochow when a Chinese army set up a short-lived Republic of China there.

28) 1940 – Newfoundland, British Guiana, & The Caribbean – U.S. troops were deployed to guard bases obtained in lend-lease negotiations with Great Britain.

29) 1941 – Greenland – Greenland came under the protection of the U.S.

Iceland – Iceland came under the protection of the U.S.

Germany – U.S. naval forces began to patrol shipping lanes to Europe.  By September, U.S. warships were attacking German submarines.

Netherlands – U.S. troops occupied Dutch Guiana while Brazil, by an agreement with the government of the Netherlands, protected Surinam bauxite mines.

World War II – The U.S. declared war on Japan after the surprise bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 8.  On December 11 the U.S. declared war on Germany and Italy.

30) 1945 – Germany – U.S. troops occupied Bavaria, Hesse, northern portions of present-day Baden-Württemberg, and the port cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven according to the Allied power divisions of Nazi Germany.

Austria – U.S. troops occupied one-quarter of Austria, according to the terms of the Potsdam Conference. 

Italy – U.S. troops occupied parts of Italy.

Japan – U.S. troops occupied parts of Japan.

Philippines – U.S. troops re-occupied the Philippines in preparation for that nation’s independence.

South Korea – U.S. troops occupied South Korea and defeated a leftist insurgency.

China – U.S. troops were garrisoned to oversee the removal of Soviet and Japanese forces following World War II.

31) 1946 – Italy – U.S. troops increased along the zonal occupation line after Yugoslav forces shot down an unarmed U.S. Army transport plane.

32) 1948 – Palestine – U.S. troops were sent to Jerusalem to protect the U.S Consul General

Berlin – Berlin Airlift – In response to a Soviet Union land blockade of all sectors of Berlin, the U.S. and its allies airlifted supplies to Berlin until the blockade was lifted in May 1949.

China – U.S. troops protected the American embassy in Nanking when the city fell to Communists.  Aid was sent to Shanghai to protect evacuating Americans.

33) 1950 – Korean Conflict – In response to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea, U.S. troops intervened with permission of the United Nations Security Council.

Formosa (Taiwan) – At the start of the Korean Conflict, President Truman sent the U.S. Seventh Fleet to prevent Communist Chinese attacks against Formosa.

34) 1954 – China – U.S. forces evacuated American civilians and military personnel from the Tachen Islands.

35) 1955 – Vietnam – The first U.S. military advisors arrive in Vietnam on February 12.

36) 1956 – Egypt – U.S. troops evacuated American and foreign civilians from Alexandria during the Suez Crisis.

37) 1958 – Lebanon – U.S. troops arrived on the invitation of Lebanese president Camille Chamoun to protect against a threatened insurrection.

38) 1959 – The Caribbean – U.S. troops protected American lives following the Cuban Revolution.

39) 1961 – Cuba – The Bay of Pigs Invasion – U.S.-trained Cuban exiles invaded South-West Cuba with the intention of overthrowing Fidel Castro.  The Cuban military defeated the invasion force in days.

40) 1962 – Thailand – U.S. troops landed to offer protection and support during the threat of outside Communist pressure.

Cuba – Cuban Missile Crisis – President Kennedy quarantined a shipment of offensive missiles to Cuba from the Soviet Union.  He also threatened the U.S.S.R. with nuclear retaliation if any missiles launched from Cuba.

Laos – U.S. troops offered a support role to anti-communist forces in Laos.

41) 1964 – Congo – The U.S. sent transport planes for airlift support for Congolese troops during a rebellion and to transport Belgian paratroopers to rescue foreign nationals.

Vietnam War – As a direct result of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, U.S.

deployments escalated in Southeast Asia.  President Johnson was given war powers without having to formally declare war.

42) 1965 – Dominican Republic – U.S. troops intervened during a Dominican revolt as fears grew that revolutionary forces were becoming increasingly communist.

43) 1967 – Congo – U.S. transport aircraft and crews were provided to the Congo central government for logistical support during a revolt.

44) 1968 – Laos & Cambodia – The U.S. started a secret bombing campaign against targets along the Ho Chi Minh trail.

45) 1970 – Cambodia – U.S. troops were sent in to clean out Communist sanctuaries from which the North Vietnamese attacked U.S. and South Vietnamese troops.

46) 1973 – Israel – Operation Nickel Grass – The U.S. delivered weapons and supplies to Israel during the Yom Kippur War.

47) 1974 – Cyprus – U.S. forces evacuated American civilians during hostilities between Turkish and Greek forces.

48) 1975 – Vietnam – U.S. troops and naval forces began evacuation of American nationals and refugees of the Vietnam War.

Cambodia – U.S. troops began evacuation of American nationals from Cambodia.  Troops were also ordered to retake a Cambodian merchant vessel that was seized in international waters.

49) 1976 – Lebanon – U.S. troops evacuated American and European nationals from Lebanon during fighting between Lebanese factions.

Korea – U.S. troop presence was increased after two American soldiers were killed by North Korean soldiers in the demilitarized zone.

50) 1978 – Zaire – U.S. transport aircraft provided logistical support to Belgium and French rescue operations.

51) 1980 – Iran – Operation Eagle Claw – President Carter used U.S. military transport planes and helicopters to unsuccessfully rescue American hostages at the American Embassy in Tehran.

52) 1981 – El Salvador – Following a guerilla offensive against the El Salvador government, U.S. military advisors went to El Salvador to assist in training El Salvador forces.

Libya – U.S. planes shot down two Libyan jets over the Gulf of Sidra after one of the Libyan jets fired a heat-seeking missile.  Libya claimed the waters were territorial while the U.S. considered them international waters.

53) 1982 – Sinai – U.S. troops and equipment participated in the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai.

Lebanon – U.S. troops served in the multinational force to assist in the withdrawal of members of the Palestine Liberation Force from Beirut.

Lebanon – U.S. troops served in a temporary multinational force to restore the Lebanese government to sovereignty.

54) 1983 – Egypt – Following the bombing of a city in the Sudan by a Libyan plane, President Reagan dispatched an AWACS surveillance plane to Egypt.

Honduras – U.S. troops and helicopters ferried Honduran troops to the Nicaraguan border to repel Nicaraguan troops.

Chad – U.S. troops and aircraft provided logistical support to assist Chad against Libyan and rebel forces.

Beirut – Suicide bombers drove a truck full of explosives into a U.S. marine barracks.  The blast, equivalent to 12,000 pounds of TNT, led to the placement of protective bollards around critical government buildings in the U.S.

Grenada – Operation Urgent Fury – Following a coup d’etat, Grenada aligns itself with Cuba and the Soviet Union.  U.S. troops invade as a result, and the Prime Minister is ultimately deposed and executed.

55) 1984 – Persian Gulf – Saudi Arabian fighter planes, aided by intelligence from U.S. AWACS surveillance, shot down two Iranian fighter planes over a protected shipping zone.

56) 1985 – Italy – U.S. naval pilots intercepted an Egyptian airliner and forced it to land in Sicily.  The airliner carried the hijackers of an Italian cruise ship who killed an American during the hijacking.

57) 1986 – Libya – Libyan patrol boats in the Gulf of Sidra launched missiles on U.S. naval forces.  The U.S. responded with missile-fire.

Libya – Operation El Dorado Canyon – The U.S. launched bombing strikes against military installations in Tripoli due to suspicion of Muammar al Gaddafi’s responsibility for a bombing in Germany.

Bolivia – U.S. troops and aircraft assisted Bolivia in anti-drug operations.

58) 1987 – Persian Gulf – Operation Earnest Will – U.S. naval forces protected Kuwaiti oil tankers from Iraqi and Iranian attacks during the Tanker War phase of the Iran-Iraq war.  It was the largest naval convoy operation since WWII.

Persian Gulf – Operation Prime Chance – USSOCOM operation intended to protect U.S.-flagged oil tankers from Iranian attack.  It took place at roughly the same time as Operation Earnest Will.

59) 1988 – Panama – To increase pressure on Panamanian head of state Manuel Noriega to resign, the U.S. increased its troop presence in Panama by 1000 troops.

Honduras – Operation Golden Pheasant – Following threatening actions by the (then socialist) Nicaraguans, U.S. troops were deployed to Honduras.  The Nicaraguan Sandinistas quickly retreated.

Persian Gulf – Operation Praying Mantis – U.S. naval forces retaliated against Iranian mining of the Persian Gulf, and subsequent damage to a U.S. warship.

Strait of Hormuz – On emergency deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, USS Vincennes traded gunfire with Iranian gunboats.  Afterwards, Iran Air Flight 655, a civilian airliner en route to Dubai, flew over the strait. Mistaking the flight for Iranian military fighter, USS Vincennes fired on IR655, destroying it.

60) 1989 – Libya – Two U.S. F-14s shot down two Libyan jet fighters over the Mediterranean Sea 70 miles north of Libya.  The U.S. pilots stated the Libyan pilots demonstrated hostile intentions.

Panama – Following Manuel Noriega’s disregard of the Panamanian election results, President Bush increased U.S. troop presence in the area by 1900 troops.

South America – The War on Drugs – President Bush commits military and law enforcement assistance to the Andean nations in order to combat illicit drugs.

Philippines – U.S. fighter planes assisted to repel a coup attempt.  U.S. troops were also sent to protect the U.S. embassy in Manila.

Panama – Operation Just Cause – The U.S. invades Panama to safeguard the canal, American lives, property, and interests.  Manuel Noriega is captured and taken to the U.S. Within two months, all invasion forces withdrew.

61) 1990 – Liberia – U.S. troops provided additional security to the embassy in Monrovia while helicopter teams evacuated American civilians.

Saudi Arabia – U.S. troops arrived to defend Saudi Arabia after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.  The troop build-up continued to allow an adequate military offensive option.

62) 1991 – Persian Gulf War – U.S. attacked Iraqi forces and military targets in Iraq and Kuwait, in conjunction with a coalition of allies and UN Security Council resolutions.  Combat operations ended forty-three days later.

Iraq – President Bush staged a limited introduction of U.S. troops into northern Iraq for emergency relief purposes.

Zaire – Following looting and rioting in Kinshasa, U.S. transport planes carried Belgian troops to Kinshasa and French troops to the Central African Republic.  The transports then evacuated American civilians.

Iraq – Operation Provide Comfort – Allied troops stationed in Turkey delivered humanitarian relief and military protection to Kurds fleeing their homes in Northern Iraq.

63) 1992 – Sierra Leone – U.S. troops evacuated Americans from the area after local military leaders overthrew the Sierra Leone government.

Bosnia – Operation Provide Promise – U.S. assisted in the airlift delivery of food, medicine, and supplies to Sarajevo.

Kuwait – Following Iraqi refusal to recognize the new border drawn up by the U.N. or cooperate with U.N. inspection teams, U.S. troops began a series of military exercises in Kuwait.

Iraq – The U.S. and U.K. declare and enforce “No Fly Zones” over the majority of Iraqi airspace.  This is to prevent Iraqi aerial reconnaissance or bombings.

Somalia – Operation Restore Hope – In the theater of the Somali Civil War, U.S. troops created a secure environment for U.N. Resolution 794 to distribute humanitarian aid.

64) 1993 – Macedonia – U.S. troops were deployed to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to assist the U.N. Protection Force and help maintain stability in the area.

Somalia – Black Hawk Down – U.S. forces were involved in an 18-hour battle following two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters being shot down.

Haiti – Operation Uphold Democracy – Following a military coup, U.S. troops began a build-up in Puerto Rico and Florida.  Ret. Gen. Colin Powell successfully served as a diplomat to defuse the situation.

65) 1994 – Macedonia – 200 U.S. troops reinforced the already present contingent in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

66) 1995 – Bosnia – Operation Deliberate Force – Following the second Markale Massacre of civilians, NATO conducted bombing campaigns to cripple the Bosnian Serb army.

67) 1996 – Liberia – Due to a rising threat to American lives, U.S. troops evacuated American and foreign civilians who had taken refuge in the American Embassy compound.

Central African Republic – U.S. troops evacuated American civilians and U.S. government employees, while providing increased security to the American Embassy in Bangui.

68) 1997 – Albania – U.S. troops evacuated American civilians and U.S. government employees from Tirania.

Congo and Gabon – U.S. troops arrived to enhance security and prepare for any necessary evacuation operations.

Sierra Leone – U.S. troops evacuated American civilians and U.S. government employees from Freetown.

Cambodia – During domestic conflict in Cambodia, U.S. troops were deployed to Utapao Air Base in Thailand to prepare for possible evacuation operations.

69) 1998 – Iraq – Operation Desert Fox – U.S. and U.K. bombing strikes were conducted over four days as a result of failure to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Guinea-Bissau – Following a mutiny that threatened an American embassy, U.S. troops were deployed to Dakar to prepare for evacuation operations.

Kenya & Tanzania – U.S. troops were deployed to coordinate the medical and disaster assistance related to the bombings of American embassies in the two countries.

Afghanistan & Sudan – Operation Infinite Reach – U.S. naval forces launched cruise missile strikes against two suspected terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical factory in Sudan.

Liberia – U.S. troops supplemented the security force for the American embassy in Monrovia in order to prepare for potential evacuation.

70) 1999 – East Timor – U.S. troops supplemented the international security force to help restore peace in East Timor against Indonesian militia during East Timor’s bid for independence.

Serbia – Operation Allied Force – U.S. troops and fighter planes contributed to the NATO strikes and bombing missions against Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War.

War on Terrorism

71) GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR (GWOT) JANUARY 2000 and CONTINUING
MAY 2000 AUGUST 2000 OCTOBER 2000 FEBRUARY 2001
SIERRA LEONE NIGERIA U.S.S. COLE EAST TIMOR
ADEN, YEMEN
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
TWIN TOWERS 2,606 KILLED PENTAGON 184 KILLED SHANKSVILLE, PA 40 KILLED
OCTOBER 7, 2001 – DECEMBER 31, 2014
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AFGHANISTAN
2,349 KILLED & 20,144 WOUNDED
OPERATION FREEDOM SENTINEL, JANUARY 1, 2015 and CONTINUING
MARCH 20, 2003 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2010
 —

72) OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

4,419 KILLED & 31,994 WOUNDED
OPERATION NEW DAWN, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010 and CONTINUING
JUNE 15, 2014 and CONTINUING
OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE
BATTLING ISIS IN IRAQ & SYRIA
JANUARY 2002 JUNE 2003 AUGUST 2003 FEBRUARY 2004 APRIL 2005 JUNE 2006
PHILLIPPINES LIBERIA DJIBOUTI EITHOPIE& PAKISTAN LEBANON
GEORGIA ERITREA, HAITI, EARTH QUAKE
KENYA
JUNE 2007 APRIL 2011 MARCH 2012 AUGUST 2013 JULY 2015 MAY 2016 AUGUST 2018
SOMALIA UGANDA JORDAN, CHAD MALI CAMERON LIBERIA DAMACUS, HOMS
JANUARY 1, 2019 and CONTINUING
OPERATION SENTINEL
STRAIT OF HORMUZ
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2019 AMERICA’S MILITARY IS SERVING IN 112 COUNTRIES AS THE GWOT CONTINUES

 

Mable Band Numbers:

Total # marble bands:  72
 8” bands (1 event in that year): 32
10” bands (2 events in that year): 15
12” bands (3 events in that year): 11
14” bands (4 events in that year):  4
16” bands (5 events in that year):  6
18” bands (6 events in that year):  0

20” bands (7 events in that year):

24” bands (multi-year events):

36” bands (multi-year events):

2

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