Air Force Monument

With Tinker Air Force Base just less than 20 minutes away, Oklahoma City has always been very appreciative and supportive of all of the Armed Forces, particularly the Air Force. This monument in Downtown Oklahoma City is just one example of this. It can be found in the heart of Downtown on the corner of Park Ave and Broadway. Sculpted during the Cold War, this timeless work of art by Leonard McMurry was restored in 2002 and rededicated in 2003.

In the man’s right hand he holds the United States Air Force Seal. The 13 stars represent the Thirteen Original Colonies of the United States. The grouping of three stars at the top of the design portrays the three Departments of the National Defense Establishment, Army, Navy, and Air Force. The crest includes the American Bald Eagle, which is the symbol of the United States and air striking power. The cloud formation depicts the creation of a new firmament, and the wreath incorporates the colors of the basic shield design. The shield, divided with the nebuly line formation, representing clouds, is charged with the heraldic thunderbolt. The thunderbolt portrays striking power through the medium of air. On a band encircling the whole is the inscription “Department of the Air Force” and “United States of America”.

His rests his right foot on the Earth while his eyes look towards the sky. The eagle above his head mirrors the eagle from the Seal, representing dominance in the air. Written on the marble base it dedicates the monument “to the memory of those Oklahomans who have given their lives while serving their country as members of the United States Air Force and for the working men and women at Tinker Air Force Base, both military and civilian, who have and continue to give of themselves for the defense of the homeland we so dearly love.”