In the center of the Veterans Memorial, stands the steel obelisk. Utilizing donated pieces of salvage from the USS Arizona, the artist has chosen to highlight the events of December 7th, 1941 and an example of all the battles fought throughout our history that have resulted in the loss of American service men and women.


The sculpture on the front of the obelisk is the artists' depiction of the battleship silver service pattern commissioned for the USS Arizona. The silver featuring the figure of a mermaid, rising above a shield and surrounded by Saguaros was like no other. Early in 1941, the ships of the United States Navy were 'stripped for war' and anything onboard the ship that was not need to fight a war was removed. The silver was placed in storage in Bremerton, Washington and missed the destruction of December 7th. Several pieces of the silver service currently reside at the Arizona State Capital museum.

Salvaged pieces from the USS Arizona have been attached on the two remaining sides of the obelisk. These pieces are from the potato locker area of the ship, exterior section, port side.  The rings are sections of the USS Arizona memorial flagpole erected on March 7, 1950. The memorial flagpole was replaced in 1993 and the original was donated to the Glendale Arts Commission to incorporate into the Veterans Memorial.

Memorial Artists: Joe Tyler, Scott Cisson, Sylvanna Anderson

           

For Every Drop of Blood, For Every Life Devoted
   (Written in Honor of all our Veterans and the Glendale War Memorial)
          BY       
              Kathy Tyler and Dee Tyler Ellis
          The sacrifice supreme so many brave ones made
Underscores the value of all of those we've loved
Though mankind cries in sorrow for those we've lost to war
   God alone sees all our tears and He counts every drop of blood

For every drop of blood, for every life devoted
for the common cause of liberty so precious to us all
We hold in sacred reverence freedoms cost within our hearts
Americans united undivided standing tall.

All the military heroes some gone and some still here
Have learned the hardest lesson that only life can give
It's not the glory of the battle or the hatred for the foe
But the love of God and country and peace for all who live

For every drop of blood, for every life devoted
for the common cause of liberty so precious to us all
We hold in sacred reverence freedoms cost within our hearts
Americans united undivided standing tall.

In the air they fought with courage, on the ground they spilled their blood
On the sea they struggled bravely and upon the foreign shore
So let's pray for all the heroes on the battlefield and home
Oh Lord please in the future may there be no need for war

For every drop of blood, for every life devoted
for the common cause of liberty so precious to us all
 We hold in sacred reverence freedoms cost within our hearts
Americans united undivided standing tall.