The elements and design of the memorial were chosen for specific reasons. The oval design and setting of the five granite pillars around in a semi-circle was chosen because we wanted people to feel amongst those Marines. The black granite pillars will be 6'6” tall. You will have to look up to their faces etched into the granite as we now look up to them as our heroes.
The pillars will have the individual rank insignia on their shoulders and on the back side of each pillar will be a place for the families to place whatever they wish into the granite. The pillars all face the centerpiece that consists of 3 elements. The broken rubble and chaos of war, the final finished granite piece and atop sits the battlefield cross.
The rubble represents what the Marines experienced in Iraq. They walked through this rubble daily, they had to deal with the chaotic effects of war. Their fight and their selfless efforts bore a out a great good though – safety and security for a people who have been yearning for this for years. Side-by-side they worked with Iraqis who desire ultimate peace – when the hard work is finished, and the fighting is done – the smooth, clean features appear out of the chaos. However, this finished peace comes at a price. It comes from a result of sacrificing something.
That is the battlefield cross that depicts in one simple image of a rifle, a helmet and a set of boots - those who have sacrificed everything for this peace. These Marines made the Fallujah Peninsula a better place than when we first arrived. They scratched out a piece of history because of their efforts and selfless service.