Monumental: POW Liberation Memorial in Miramar

Dedicated on September 16, 2011, the POW Liberation Monument is located at the Miramar National Cemetery.

Designed by artist Richard Becker, the memorial is a 15-foot tall, bronze, concrete, and stainless steel sculpture, a tribute to all American former prisoners of war.

The plaque on the monument's base reads, "This statue conveys the excitement, trepidation, exhilaration and emotion of the LIBERATION moment, as the emaciated soldier steps out of the darkness into the Sunshine of Freedom.He portrays the hundreds of thousands who were bound in captivity by the infamy of foreign enemies.This is to stand as an eternal legacy for our community by reminding visitors of the sacrifice of veterans during America’s efforts to keep alive the hopes and dreams of freedom for oppressed around the world.”

Miramar National Cemetery opened in January 2010 as an extension of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma. The POW Liberation Monument is the first memorial on the grounds.

Miramar National Cemetery is at the northwest corner of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, at 5795 Nobel Drive.