An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Angel watching over me

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Team Dover hosted a dedication and unveiling ceremony of a veteran memorial sculpture July 22, 2013, at the campus of the Center for the Families of the Fallen here.

The bronze sculpture depicting a guardian angel holding and protecting a wounded soldier will sit in the meditation garden at the Center for the Families of the Fallen. It is meant to serve as a quiet reflection on the sacrifices made by the nation's fallen soldiers.

Col. Rick Moore, 436th Airlift Wing commander, said the ceremony was an important day in the history of the base.

"It is a fantastic structure and it will be the focal point in a very important campus," Col. Moore said. "The families that come here are here for unfortunate circumstances. This sculpture will hopefully allow them to share their thoughts and feelings."

The $40,000 sculpture, named The Angel and the Dying Unknown, was donated by the Newington-Cropsey Foundation, an organization that focuses on preserving and displaying art, and sculpted by Greg Wyatt, the director of the Newington-Cropsey Foundation's Academy of Art.

Wyatt, who has created sculptures honoring soldiers in the past, said the imagery portrayed in this particular sculpture is meaningful to servicemen.

"Having talked with soldiers and hearing their stories, this imagery is significant to them," Wyatt said. "It allows the viewer a moment of reflection to the inner courage and it is meant to honor the courage of our armed forces."

Col. John Devillier, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Office commander, said the sculpture will help fulfill the mission of AFMAO, which is to take care of our nation's combat fallen.

"This statue will allow the families and those who see it, to get a sense of how important their loved one is to our nation," Col. Devillier said. "The families who come here won't remember the colonel on the flight line or which Airman drove them to the ceremony, but they will remember how we made them feel. This beautiful statue will help them to do that. This statue will be a lasting contribution to what we do at Team Dover."