Mayor, ATL leaders unveil Wall of Honor

By Shane Blatt
Senior Public Relations Manager

Amid a sea of red, white and blue, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed officially unveiled the U.S. Military Service Wall of Honor, a permanent tribute to the armed services, in a ceremony Thursday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

“As we approach our Independence Day weekend,” Mayor Reed said, “this extraordinary tribute is a timely, well-deserved recognition of all the veterans who have bravely served and sacrificed for the United States of America, from its founding to present.

“I know this memorial will inspire millions of visitors, Americans as well as international residents, who depend on our military men and women for their safekeeping every day,” he said. “You can be sure that this Wall of Honor will be noticed, experienced and appreciated set near the atrium of the world’s most traveled airport.”

Mayor Reed was joined by ATL leaders, including interim Airport General Manager Roosevelt Council Jr., as well as a host of dignitaries, decorated war veterans, and active service men and women.

Attendees included Brigadier Gen. C. David Turner, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division; Gen. Joe Jarrard, head of the National Guard; Retired Maj. Gen. Tom Wessels; and Norris Connelly, a Tuskegee Airman. Officials with the Airport’s USO, which is about to mark its one-year anniversary, also were on hand.

The program began with a moment of silence for the victims in Tuesday’s deadly attacks at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport. During his remarks, Council expressed condolences, saying “our hearts are with those victims – and their families – during this horrific act of terror.”

In the aftermath of the attacks, Council said, Hartsfield-Jackson has ramped up the number of law enforcement officers and canine units throughout the Airport. That includes on roadways in front of ATL’s terminals.

Like Mayor Reed, Council saluted the nation’s men and women in uniform, and he said the military tribute would be a testament to their invaluable contributions.

The unveiling of the Wall of Honor, located in the northwest corridor leading into the Domestic Terminal’s atrium, marks the culmination of a year-long project coordinated between the Department of Aviation and stakeholders from various military organizations.

Organizations represented in the stakeholders group include the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association, Korean War Veterans Association, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Montford Point Marine Association, Tuskegee Airmen, United Service Organizations Inc. and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The Wall of Honor, which measures some 25 feet by 11 feet, features a display of artifacts universal to the military experience. Among the items, encased in bronze and glass, are an American flag from 1889, an Army bugle from 1925 and a flight jacket from 1944.

The display also includes digital monitors with a slide show of images of service men and women from all age ranges and racial backgrounds. The Wall of Honor was designed by Gary Super, who was instrumental in the design of the World of Coca-Cola interpretative displays as well as the newly remodeled Delta Flight Museum.

Thursday’s ceremony coincided with an observance of Independence Day throughout Hartsfield-Jackson. As part of ATL’s second annual campaign, called “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Flying,” Assistant General Manager Greg Richardson offered remarks on Concourse A while Airport volunteers passed out candy, lapel pins and tri-color bracelets to traveling guests.

At the International Terminal, Airport Senior Deputy General Manager Michael Smith welcomed members of the Georgia Consular Corps. These dignitaries provided floral arrangements and presented Smith with letters congratulating the United States in advance of its birthday.

Top, Attendees at the unveiling of the U.S. Military Service Wall of Honor included (from left) interim Airport General Manager Roosevelt Council Jr., Tuskegee Airman Norris Connelly, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Brigadier Gen. C. David Turner, USO CEO Mary Lou Austin and Gen. Joe Jarrard, among others. The wall features a display of artifacts universal to the military experience. Thursday’s ceremony coincided with an observance of Independence Day throughout Hartsfield-Jackson. It was part of ATL’s second annual campaign called “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Flying.” Photos by Decisive Moment Photojournalism