On Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, September 29, 2024, the Richard Nixon Foundation unveiled a monument honoring America’s Gold Star families and their fallen heroes. Located in the First Lady Pat Nixon Rose Gardens, the bronze monument serves as a permanent tribute to be viewed by visitors to the Richard Nixon Presidential Museum and Library as a tangible symbol of the ultimate form of service.
The unveiling ceremony featured remarks from Tony Cordero, a Gold Star son who founded Sons and Daughters in Touch, a volunteer organization committed to connecting and supporting Gold Star children from the Vietnam War. The Troy High School Navy JROTC Honor Guard presented the colors and Jim Byron, President and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation, delivered opening remarks and invited each Gold Star family in attendance to lay a white rose at the monument in honor of their loved one. The monument was unveiled by Gold Star mother Elaine Roach.
The following dedication is inscribed on the monument’s bronze plaque:
Honoring America’s Gold Star Families and Their Fallen Heroes. The duty of service to country is the very foundation upon which America is built and her ideal is maintained. The ultimate sacrifice is the ultimate form of service, a heavy cost to project America’s freedoms. Our fallen warriors will not be forgotten, nor their loved ones who carry their memories.
