Stories

The 38th Annual Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom occurred on Monday May 25th, 2026.  Over 100 riders gathered at Harley-Davidson in Fort Wayne, and made the ride to the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum to honor America's fallen service men and women.

You can view 21Alive's coverage of the event here: https://www.21alivenews.com/2026/05/26/ride-freedom-memorial-day-celebr…

By WPTA Staff at 21Alive

On Saturday, May 23rd, 2026; the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum dedicated a Peace Pole on our grounds.  

Coverage and story from News Channel 21Alive can be found here: https://www.21alivenews.com/2026/05/23/veterans-national-memorial-shrin…

 By David L Milner and Journal Gazette
 
The Rolling Thunder, INC.,  Chapter 1, from Indianapolis, Indiana, performed a Memorial Day Ceremony At the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum, at Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The ceremony began at the Vietnam Memorial Wall to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.  Colors were posted by Marine Corps League Detachment 1435, Color Guard.  America was honored with the singing of our National Anthem and the pledge of Allegiance.  

A gathering of families highlighted the June 22, 2024 dedication of a new Woody Williams Foundation Gold Star Family Memorial Monument at the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Gold Star Families have endured the grief and loss of a loved one during America’s wars. The man behind remembering and honoring these families was World War II Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams, a Marine veteran.

His commitment and tireless work ensured that these memorial monuments have been created in 137 locations with another 49 in progress.

Farm Journal's Ag Day Special

https://vimeo.com/961295474/d2451c48ee

We will be writing stories about the first recipients of the Medal of Honor, by war.

Civil War

During the Civil War, efforts by Senator James Grimes and Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles to inspire sailors to valorous service led to the creation of the Medal of Honor in December 1861. Legislation authorizing a similar medal for soldiers in the army followed in 1862.

Fort Wayne, IN, January 16th The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum located at 2122 O’Day Road in Fort Wayne has announced that there will be Global War on Terrorism monuments constructed on the memorial grounds to honor all those who served in the Middle East conflicts.

Full Press Release

The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum has a new additionto share. It is a M-247 Sergeant York aerial combat tank. The M-247 was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed by Ford Aerospace in the late '70s. Based on the M48 Patton tank, it replaced the Patton’s turret with a new one that featured twin radar-directed Bofors 40mm rapid-fire guns. The vehicle was named after Sergeant Alvin York, a famous World War I hero. 

Veterans Day 2023 marked another significant moment as The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum dedicated a truly inspiring memorial to Korean veterans who helped win "The Forgotten War".

There are 12 statues depicting a patrol and each features the actual face of 12 Korean Veterans from the area. Every statue has a different pose, including a rifleman, minesweeper and one soldier helping another.