The Sanford Herald in December 1918. The following names are engraved on the pillar: George W. Calhoun and M. W. Lowell, Jr. from the Navy; Frank A. Campbell, Handy Jenkins, Joseph S. Laing, Archie B. Liles, Arthur D. Lossing, Carl Marm, Harry Phillips, Edwin J. Robinson, and James Oscar White from the Army. There are also engravings on all four sides of the base.

On February 23, 1919, the monument was dedicated in present-day Centennial Park, formerly named Central Park. The memorial was presented by Frank L. Miller and received by Judge E. F. Housholder. It is known as the first monument to soldiers of World War I. A feature that is unique for the time period in which it was erected is the inclusion of the names of two African-American men. This inclusion assured the resulting crowd of over 1,500 people in attendance for the ceremony was made up of people from all races. The memorial has since been moved to various locations including: American Legion Post 53, known locally as the "Legion Hut" until its destruction, at 3506 Orlando Drive on February 24, 1985; the new American Legion Post 53 at 2874 South Sanford Avenue in June 1988; and Veterans Memorial Park on November 11, 2006. The monument was rededicated to the people of Seminole County on May 28, 2007.]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> City of Orlando Archives, Orlando, Florida.]]> City of Orlando Archives, Orlando, Florida.]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> City of Orlando and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
The Battle of Bataan lasted from January 7 to April 9, 1942, and marked the most vital phase of the Empire of Japan's invasion of the Philippines during World War II. The United States defended the Commonwealth of the Philippines, but ultimately the battle resulted in the largest surrender in both American and Filipino military history. The forced transfer of 60,000-80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war (POWs), known as the Bataan Death March, began on April 9. The POWs were subjected to physical abuse and murder. An estimated 2,500 to 10,000 POWs died before reaching Camp O'Donnell. After Bataan fell, organized opposition against Imperial Japan in the Philippines became decimated. The Battle of Corregidor was waged on May 5 and 6  and resulted in another American-Filipino defeat. This event marked the fall of both the Philippines and Asia to Imperial Japan. American and Filipino forces were able to recapture the island in 1945 and the Bataan Death March was declared a war crime following the end of World War II.]]> City of Kissimmee]]> City of Kissimmee Archives, Kissimmee, Florida.]]> City of Kissimmee Archives, Kissimmee, Florida.]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> City of Kissimmee.]]> City of Kissimmee and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> ]]>
The Battle of the Bulge was a major offensive campaign launched by German forces between December 16, 1944, and January 25, 1945. The battle was waged in the Ardennes region of France, Luxembourg, and Belgium's Wallonia region and involved armies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, France, and the Luxembourgish resistance. The German attack was unexpected, causing the Allies, especially the United States, to lose a significant number of casualties. The goal of the offensive was to separate the British and American Allied forces in half, capture the Belgian city of Antwerp, and then surround the four Allied armies. While the Germans had the benefit of surprise and initially poor weather conditions that grounded the Allies' air forces, the Allied Forces were ultimately able to win the battle thanks to defensible terrain and improved weather conditions that allowed the use of air attacks. The battle is also known as Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein ("Operation Watch on the Rhine") to the Germans, Bataille des Ardennes ("Battle of the Ardennes") to the French, and the Ardennes Counteroffensive to the Allies as a whole. The Battle of the Bulge was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in World War II.]]> ]]> ]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]>
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Bolívar, considered one of the most influential politicians in the history of the Americas, was a major player in Latin America's struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire during the early 19th century. Bolívar was also fundamental in the foundation of Gran Colombia, the first union of independent Hispanic nations, and led as its president from 1819 to 1830.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> ]]>
In 1991, using his influence as City Commissioner, Richard Herring was able to persuade the City of Kissimmee to donate a piece of land in Lakefront Park for a future Bataan-Corregidor memorial. Groundbreaking for the memorial took place in 1994, and in 1995, the memorial was unveiled. The memorial features several benches, a stone dedication, an American flag, a Filipino flag, and the centerpiece: a statue depicting an American G.I. and a Filipino soldier being offered water by a Filipino woman during the Death March. Since its dedication, the memorial has become the site of annual meetings of WWII veterans who survived the infamous Death March. It has also come to be the site of annual gatherings of Filipinos and Americans celebrating Filipino-American Friendship Day on April 9th.

The Battle of Bataan lasted from January 7 to April 9, 1942, and marked the most vital phase of the Empire of Japan's invasion of the Philippines during World War II. The United States defended the Commonwealth of the Philippines, but ultimately the battle resulted in the largest surrender in both American and Filipino military history. The forced transfer of 60,000-80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war (POWs), known as the Bataan Death March, began on April 9. The POWs were subjected to physical abuse and murder. An estimated 2,500 to 10,000 POWs died before reaching Camp O'Donnell. After Bataan fell, organized opposition against Imperial Japan in the Philippines became decimated. The Battle of Corregidor was waged on May 5 and 6  and resulted in another American-Filipino defeat. This event marked the fall of both the Philippines and Asia to Imperial Japan. American and Filipino forces were able to recapture the island in 1945 and the Bataan Death March was declared a war crime following the end of World War II.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> ]]>
The marker consists of a bronze tablet attached to a large granite block and was originally erected at Memorial High School in Orlando, Florida. In the dedication address, Francis Gregory, chapter regent, proclaimed that the granite marker symbolized the solid character of the United States of America, and the bronze plaque commemorated those who made the marker possible: the DAR and the citizens of Orange County. After Memorial High School was demolished in 1961, the Orange County World War I Soldiers Memorial was moved to South Lake Eola where it still stands today.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Central Florida Monuments Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Hidden in Plain Sight: A Selection of Central Florida Monuments." RICHES of Central Florida.]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]>
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