Irvine Tutors

About Irvine

On September 11th, 2001, a horrendous event occurred that some of us remember, and some of weren’t yet born for. A terrorist attack occurred on American soil, sparking a war that would last over a decade. When the twin towers fell, our troops were sent overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq, in a war that would outlast the Vietnam War. If you’ve met with your Irvine history tutor, then you know that prior to this the Vietnam War was the longest war in American history.

As the war continued, a resident in Irvine California felt that the fallen troops needed something to memorialize those that had sacrificed the most. So, this father of four decided to construct wooden crosses with the names of those that had fallen, and planted them in a local park. He had no idea if the crosses would be taken down, destroyed, or vandalized, but he planted them anyway and lit candles on every cross. To his surprise, the crosses were left untouched and as time passed more families wanted to contribute crosses to this memorial, and once a year for a few weeks a vigil was held. People brought flags, flowers, mementos, candles, whatever they wanted to honor the memories of their fallen loved ones.

After a while the residents wanted something more permanent, that would serve not as just a reminder of the war but a reminder of those who gave their life for it. They petitioned Irvine to allow them to construct a monument, and at first the city was slightly resistant, and offered to do a memorial plaque. The citizens were not content with this, however, they wanted something like their crosses, a reminder of the individuals who served. If you’ve been meeting with your Irvine tutor then you know that persistence pays off, and for the city of Irvine that held true. The people finally got their memorial permitted, the first one of its kind in the country.

Today the memorial stands, five pillars with four side of polished granite, the names of those fallen etched into it. You can get tracings of the names of your loved ones, or go to visit if you are close enough. None of this would have happened without the dedication and persistence of those who volunteered their time to see this dream become a reality, from the start when the first wood crosses were being erected, to those who helped erect the final memorial that stands today.