November 11 in the United States marks a special day on the calendar, one that is commonly referred to as Veterans Day. Although this day is provided for a special purpose, there is something that happens in Anthem, Arizona that you may not know about. It takes place on November 11 every year, at 11:11 AM local time.
It is at that time every year that the rays of the sun pass through five armed service pillars that stand as a memorial in Anthem. The rays of the sun pass through ellipses that are carved into the pillars and a reveal something quite spectacular when it does so! They form a spotlight over the Great Seal of the United States that is located on the ground below it.
The Anthem Veterans Memorial is dedicated to those who were in the military service in the United States. It is meant as a way to honor their service and sacrifice. The area has been set aside so that veterans, their families and friends can sit and reflect on the meaning of this day.
Renée Palmer-Jones, a resident of Anthem, AZ designed this memorial. There are five pillars, each of which represents one of the branches of the US arms forces. They are arranged by size depending upon the precedents associated with those forces by the Department of Defense. From the tallest they include the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.
Inside of the circle of honor, the bricks are inscribed with the names of over 750 US servicemen and women. The red bricks, white pillars and blue sky are representative of the American flag.
In the United States, Veterans Day coincides with remembrance day and Armistice Day. Each of those holidays celebrates the sacrifice and service of Armed Forces veterans. It is different than memorial day, which is a day set aside for those who died in service to their country.
November 11 was chosen for the date of Memorial Day because it is when World War I was formally ended. It took place on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.
(Image Sources: Mike Spinelli and Anthem Community Council)
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