Audio Tour Part One

Frisco Veterans Memorial History → Welcome Signs → Dedication Plaque → City of Frisco - Designated Purple Heart City

Welcome to Part One of the Frisco Veterans Memorial audio tour. This four-part audio tour will tell you about the Memorial’s history, the meaning of the various parts of the Memorial, and their significance for veterans and Frisco residents. To enhance your experience we will include a few comments from veterans, interesting facts, and stories.

Starting underneath the Pavilion, you get your first overall look at the Memorial. You see immediately that the Memorial is framed by open ground with the American, Texas and Prisoner of War / Missing in Action flags flying high above it. When you first look at the Memorial, you see it is designed to provide a peaceful sense of the solemnity and you get an appreciation for gravity of those being honored.

Our Nation and the City of Frisco have long traditions of honoring our past and current veterans for their selfless service in our United States Armed Forces. Dating back to the founding fathers of our country, these military institutions have protected and defended our Constitution and the way of life that it enables.

One Frisco Vietnam veteran described his thoughts about visiting the Memorial saying:

“My thoughts go to those I served with and those that gave their lives in service. I am reminded the vast majority of those who served—including those who were maybe not enthusiastic about being in the service—left with a greater sense of camaraderie, duty and love of country.”

The first Veterans Memorial was created by the Frisco Garden Club in 1948 at a different location in the city. It included a polished granite urn dedicated to those who fought in the two World Wars.

When this Frisco Veterans Memorial site was built and dedicated in 2004, the urn was relocated to its current site and given a prominent location near the two flag poles. The four-sided base has four plaques, added over time by the Frisco Garden Club, to honor veterans who served in nine wars around the globe. In 2014, the Memorial was expanded to include four new brick columns with Information Plaques, the Walk of Honor, a Wall of Honor and other physical elements you will learn about over the course of your experience here at the Memorial.

Start your tour with the WELCOME SIGNS located on the left and right sides near the front of the Memorial. They are exactly the same, and each has a QR code, allowing visitors to access this audio tour and video content information. After you end your Memorial visit, you may want to go back and hear discussions about citizenship, the importance to service members of the letters they received from home, and bonus video interviews with local veterans.

The welcome signs were part of a major 2021 revitalization that included over 25 repairs, updates and additions.

One veteran wrote:

“I am impressed and pleased that the City of Frisco has chosen to honor veterans with the Memorial. I am particularly pleased that the community came together to ‘refurbish’ the Memorial. This demonstrates that there is still a ‘heart’ for veterans in Frisco.”

Next, move to the first brick column on the left near the welcome sign.

On this column, is the CITY OF FRISCO VETERANS MEMORIAL 2004 DEDICATION PLAQUE. This describes the various elements you will see here. We are reminded to take time to honor our family members and others who have served in the military; and remember them for their service and sacrifices.

Since 1973, our military has been an all-volunteer force. Today less than one percent of Americans join our uniformed services. By honoring those who have served, we can help future generations understand sacrifice, patriotism, and service. You can remember by mentally associating Memorial Day to sacrifice, Independence Day to patriotism, and Veterans Day to service.

The dedication plaque closes with an appropriate quote from former President Ronald Reagan. "We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free."

Now walk across the front of the Memorial to the first brick column on the right.

The CITY OF FRISCO became designated as an official PURPLE HEART CITY in 2017 in recognition of our strong community-wide support for veterans and veteran causes.

As the plaque notes, the Purple Heart is America’s oldest military decoration, dating back to 1782 when General George Washington established its predecessor military award- the Badge of Military Merit. In the early 1800’s the award was essentially forgotten, until General Douglas MacArthur reopened work on an updated design in 1932. Former President Herbert Hoover accepted the new medal on the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth. It is the same Purple Heart medal design in use today.

You might find it interesting that over two million Purple Hearts have been awarded to those who were injured in the service of our nation. John F. Kennedy, our 35th President, is the only Commander-in-Chief to have been awarded a Purple Heart. This was as a result of injuries he experienced during World War II. One Army veteran, Tommy Haynes, was received a total of TEN Purple Hearts for his injuries that resulted while fighting in Vietnam ... the most awarded to any single veteran. Additionally, a number of Purple Hearts have been awarded to Frisco Veterans.

This ends Part One of our audio tour. Part Two will discuss the Memorial’s Battlefield Cross, the POW/MIA flag and conclude with the Information Plaques located on both sides of the Memorial, representing various wars and conflicts since the founding of Frisco in 1902.

Continue to Part 2