Medal of Honor recipients are now forever memorialized in Minnesota

Thursday, a ceremony was held to officially welcome people to the new Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial — located at the Capitol Mall, the memorial serves as a place to honor those to who went above and beyond the call of duty and inspire future generations.

From Governor Tim Walz, Medal of Honor recipients and those instrumental behind creating the memorial shared — Governor Walz calling the memorial “critical” for Minnesota.

Of the 65 living recipients, some were present — including U.S Navy and Vietnam veteran Thomas Kelley. 

“They responded in a big way when their country called upon them to serve,” Kelly said to Thursday’s crowd.

Nestled with the Capitol in the background, the memorial has a beautiful water feature with water gently falling. At the center of it is the “Promise of Youth” sculpture — serving as a metaphor to novitiate the youth.

“We’re depending on the generation following us,” Kelley told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. “[Teach them] to be kind to others, be compassionate, be understanding, have dialogue. That’s hugely important for the future of the country,” Kelley added about the young.

This was all nearly a decade in the making — it’s now open and free to the public.