The Lone Sailor Memorial of Central Florida honors more than 652,000 sailors, men and women, who began their naval careers at the former U.S. Navy Recruit Training Center in Orlando, Florida, and it also honors veterans of the sea services: the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marines. The original The Lone Sailor statue, created in 1987 by artist Stanley Bliefeld, is in Washington, D.C. and depicts a seasoned veteran standing in a casual pose against a chilly sea breeze while waiting for his ship, representing the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment. Cast in bronze, the figure stands seven feet tall, weighs more than 1000 pounds, and has a 400-pound sea bag at his side containing essential gear for his next duty station. In April 2017, Orlando became the 14th site for The Lone Sailor, with a unique design that includes a navy pier, bollards, cleats, palm trees, sea grasses, a compass rose for navigation, medallions from each of the sea services around the flag pole, and ground sculpted to resemble waves.
