The Northeast Montana Veterans Memorial Park in Fort Peck, Montana honors all American service men and women throughout history who have fought for the United States, with special gratitude and respect for Montana Veterans. The Glasgow, Montana VFW committee collaborated with Pamela Harr and Harvey Rattey to design three sculptures to honor the men and women who have served our country. Harvey and Pamela spent seven years researching and planning the project. The monument features two sculptures of a bugler playing taps, one in full dress uniform and the other in fatigues, standing 6’6″ tall. Forty-five regulation paces away, at the center of the memorial, a life-size, flag-draped casket rests beneath a towering replica of the Fort Peck Dam Powerplant.
Monument Dedication
The Park was dedicated on July 4, 2016. On that beautiful day, nearly 1,000 people gathered to dedicate the Park and pay their respects to those who have fought to defend our freedom. Emotions ran high amid tears of remembrance. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, songs were sung, speeches were given, the Glasgow Scottie Pep Band played, then Echo Taps was sounded.
Rudyard Kipling wrote,
In times of war and not before, God and soldier we adore.
But in times of peace and all things righted, God is forsaken and the soldier slighted.
Not so in northeastern Montana. With more than one million dollars raised so far, the Northeast Montana Veterans Memorial has become the largest Veterans’ memorial in Montana, where more men and women per capita have served in the military than in any other state.
Families and friends of veterans may purchase granite tiles inscribed with their loved one’s name and branch of service to add to the Wall of Honors. Benches with inscriptions may be purchased also. Plans to enhance the Park include parking lots, restrooms, a picnic area, a water feature and more.
Pamela explains the Memorial’s beginnings and the process of creating these lasting monuments to Montana’s military heroes in the following video. The smaller replicas of the bugler, the sculpture Taps-American Soldier, that Pamela mentions in the video are available directly from Bridger Bronze.
Enjoy these photos of the Memorial and the sculpting process.
