World War II Memorial

Located in Marion Cemetery, the Marion World War II Memorial is one of the largest monuments of its kind outside Washington, D.C. A canopy of red oak trees leads visitors along a walkway to the Plaza of Heroes, where six flagpoles—each representing a year of the war—rise above a peaceful gathering space. Black granite benches provide a place to pause and reflect, while granite panels display the emblems of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Standing watch above the memorial is a gilded bronze eagle cast in 1945. The eagle once topped the WWII Honor Roll at the Marion County Courthouse before being preserved by the Marion County Historical Society and later returned to the monument.

Engraved on the memorial are the names of 5,896 Marion County service members. Stars mark those who gave their lives in service.