About the Memorial:

In the summer of 2008, Governor Patrick asked Secretary Kelley to work on plans for the official state memorial for those KIA in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11/01. The result of the conversation was the creation of a task force to plan the the creation of this memorial. The task force was brought together by Lt. Governor Tim Murray, Chairman of the Governors advisory council on Veterans' Services. Working in partnership with the Department of Veterans' Services, the Bureau of State Office Buildings, a Gold Star Family member, and the OIF/OEF Veterans of Massachusetts, this task force met for the last seven months. This memorial will honor those KIA in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The memorial is modeled after a museum kiosk. There will be a touch screen podium in front of a 50 inch flat screen TV. The touch screen will have a search function by city/ town and name. Additional slides will be on the history of the wars, purple heart, DVS and more. 

For more information please email us.

Criteria for Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial

Service Requirement: We will include anyone who was killed while serving the United State Government in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. This will include Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, as well as Department of State or any intelligence agency.

Type of Deaths: Anyone who was killed in the Theater of Operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom will be eligible. Also, individuals who were wounded in-country and later died from those wounds will be eligible.

Residency Requirement: This memorial will recognize any individual who meets the first two requires and held residence in Massachusetts at any time. Also, we recognize any one who lived outside of the Commonwealth so long as they served with a military unit based in Massachusetts.

TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THIS MEMORIAL PLEASE GO THE DONATIONS