The memorial is an Oklahoma Centennial project. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10887 and Women's Auxiliary raised money to get it completed, and Friday's dedication coincided with the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

"We've put a lot of effort into making this a tremendous memorial for our veterans here," Mayor Wade McCaleb said Dec. 7.

The display, 9 feet high by 33 feet long, consists of 11 polished and etched black granite tablets that memorialize women who have served in conflicts from the Revolutionary War to the current Iraqi Freedom campaign.

U.S. flags wave from above the granite tablets, which are backed by a reflecting pond and a lighted water fountain.

In addition to funds raised by the VFW, money for the monument came from a grant from the Oklahoma Centennial Commission. Funding also was secured through the city and the countywide Vision 2025 sales-tax initiative.

Post Commander Ralph Pointer said it took eight hours to etch each panel and many volunteers to help the memorial become a reality.

"We had a ton of volunteers, and we did research until we were blind," Pointer said. "What a great day to be an American and an Oklahoman."

The etchings on the panels are so lifelike that "you can count the freckles on one of the ladies here; it's that accurate," he said.

"We truly believe this is one of the outstanding monuments in the U.S. today. We were overwhelmed several times. None of the committee had ever done anything like this before. There were so many people involved, and they stayed with it."

Guest speaker Ret. Brig. Gen. Wilma L. Vaught, who served more than 28 years in the Air Force, said the role of women in foreign wars sometimes is downplayed but never forgotten.

"Many women in their 70s and 80s have said they would do it again, if asked," she said. "When they tell about the war, whatever war it was, these women will always be remembered in Broken Arrow."

Several veterans were honored at the dedication, including Lonnie D. Cook of Morris, a survivor of the USS Arizona, which sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Music at the event was pro vided by the U.S. Army 95th Division Band out of Oklahoma City, and 103 yellow balloons were released at the end of the dedication to honor female Soldiers who have died in the war on terror.

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