Twenty-four life-size statues of US service personnel are slated to be placed in the Gulf of Mexico, as a memorial dedicated to US military veterans.
The statues were placed on a huge plinth weighing an impressive 2,000lbs/907kg and rest on the seabed at 40 feet/12 meters. The statues form a 100-foot/30-meter circle called the “Circle of Heroes” and face a pentagon-shaped monument. The five-sided monument has bronze emblems on each side to honor the various branches of the US military: the Air Force, the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard.
Fundraising efforts for the memorial were led by former Florida Representative David Jolly through his nonprofit Brighter Future Florida.
According to the director of the nonprofit David White, who told Military Times:
“It’s a dive destination — yes. But it’s also going to give back to the veterans that may be able to benefit from it.”
The memorial is also intended to help veterans who are suffering from trauma, PTSD, and depression. The opening ceremony for the memorial is scheduled for later in August.
You can check out a video about the Circle of Heroes below.
