A History
Of Honor
As the victory parades faded and our veterans came back home from World War II, talk of a fitting memorial to our Virginia heroes and their sacrifice, bravery, and service swept the Commonwealth. The General Assembly of Virginia first authorized the Memorial in 1950. Governor John S. Battle made the initial appropriation and Leslie Cheek was appointed Professional Advisor and supervised an architectural competition to choose the design. The result was the selection of architect S. J. Collins of Staunton, Virginia.
Before the Memorial planning was complete, the United States found itself again plunged into war. After the Korean Cease-fire in 1953, plans were changed to include the Korean War with World War II. Construction was completed in 1955, and the Memorial was dedicated February 29, 1956.
Representatives from numerous foreign nations, officials of our federal, state, and local governments, as well as veterans and citizens of Virginia and beyond, attended the dedication service. The Memorial was highly praised for its design and location on a towering point affording a commanding view of the James River and the skyline of the city of Richmond.
The Memorial consists of The Hall of Honor Auditorium, Visitors Center, and the Shrine of Memory. The renovated auditorium includes state-of-the-art sound and projection systems for showing the Memorial's educational programs, Virginians At War, and houses a collection of patriotic and historic flags. The Visitors Center contains a series of display cases for Memories of War, a collection of mementos of war, kiosks for Salute to Virginia Veterans, and our gift shop.