The memorial has three main design components representing:

• Who the memorial is about: Statues depicting three scenes representing land, sea and air. Each has a war front and home front component.

• What was done: Colonnade of thirteen pillars representing how Michigan supported the war through service, sacrifice, industry, labor, commitment and change

• Where activities took place: Michigan map showing the state's contribution to the war efforts through industry, government and commercial endeavors. This walkable and interactive map will tell the story of innovation and dedication.

A legal agreement has been signed with the city of Royal Oak to maintain the Memorial in perpetuity, assuring that future generations will be enriched and inspired.

Construction will begin in spring of 2022. 

This first phase of construction will include:

• Laying over 1,200 Walk of Honor paver bricks

• Installation of the first full-sized statue

• Installation of the flag poles representing all branches of the service

• Pouring the footings for the Wall of Stars and future statue scenes

The near-term goal is to raise $300,000 to build the Wall of Stars honoring the 15,458 Michigan lives lost during WWII. At 10-feet high and 50-feet long, this two-sided Wall will provide an impressive entrance to the site. 

The effort has been jumpstarted with the announced grant of $50,000 in the 2022 state budget thanks to the efforts of State Representative Jim Ellison and State Senator Mallory McMorrow.

The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial was designed by Michael J. Gordon, RA of Moiseev/Gordon Associates, Inc., Royal Oak.

Mr. Gordon, whose father was a WWII veteran, has provided incredible leadership and vision on the project. In designing the memorial, his inspiration has been what he feels is the importance of honoring our veterans and creating a space of celebration so that this space has purpose, because what the veterans fought and died for, as well as the sacrifices made at home, was the freedom for us to enjoy the lives we have both today and into the future.

Michael J. Hall, of RCI Contracting, has worked in the metropolitan Detroit area for over 30 years. As a builder, designer, artist and author, he has been able to use his creative eye and builder’s knowledge to assist his clients in achieving their dreams. Michael is the third generation of his family to work in the the building industry, starting with his grandfather, who established Gordon B. Hall and Sons in 1922. The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial project is of a personal interest to him also. “During WWII, my father served in the Navy, and two of my uncles served in the Army and Air Corps. Working on this memorial project is a once in a lifetime opportunity, honoring the past, as it has affected the present and future of Michigan and the world.”

The sacrifice, service and commitment of the past, gives today its opportunity to have a future.