Veterans, neighbors, and friends dedicated this memorial to the men and women who served in every branch of the Armed Forces in war and peace. It remembers brave veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf conflicts, honors their love of country and service to each other, celebrates ethnic diversity, and salutes each individual's victory of courage over fear and hardship while not forgetting comrades who died. It was dedicated on May 30, 1994, and was funded by the Veterans' War Memorial Fund, established through the sale of Camp Grant land at the end of World War II, while sculptor Gene Horvath donated most of his time.