The Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial returns to Fort Adams State Park this Memorial Day Weekend, May 27th – 30th.
The display, which includes more than 7,000 boots honoring post 9/11 fallen service members, will be open to the public Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8 AM to 8 PM, and on Monday from 8 AM to 6 PM.
There will be a Patriotic Concert featuring the 88th Army Band, Rhode Island National Guard on Sunday from 5 pm to 6 pm.
Admission is free for all attendees.
Operation Stand Down RI, an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and Rhode Island’s primary nonprofit resource for homeless and at-risk veterans, launched the Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial in 2016.
The display presents more than 7,000 combat boots adorned with flags and placards. Each boot represents the life of a U.S. service member killed in action post 9-11 in the Global War on Terror.
A placard attached to each boot displays the name and photo of the fallen along with biographical information, military branch, rank and circumstances of death, according to Operation Stand Down RI’s website. The Memorial is updated yearly to incorporate additional U.S. service members killed in the ongoing Global War on Terror.
The boots, adorned by the name placards, are alphabetized and organized by State and U.S. Territories. This allows those with a personal connection to locate a specific fallen hero’s boot. Many times, family, friends and comrades of the fallen can be seen solemnly viewing a particular boot and leaving a memento. Since its inception, over ten thousand visitors from all over the U.S. have visited during Memorial Day Weekend.
The first three years the Memorial was displayed at Roger Williams Park in Providence. In 2019, the Memorial was moved to Fort Adams State Park.
For more information and updates on this event, visit https://osdri.org/boots-on-the-ground/.
