BY ANN FOSTER THELEN
“Amidst the uncertainties of war, every soldier is entitled to one certainty. That he or she will not be forgotten or abandoned.” - Unknown
The sacrifice of all veterans has shaped America into the greatest nation on Earth. Each has selflessly served to protect the freedom and values our nation’s flag represents. Veterans deserve recognition every single day, which is the goal of the awe-inspiring Welcome Home Soldier memorial.
Located just outside the city limits of Albia, it is a peaceful and honorable place where all soldiers are welcomed home. It is carefully designed to represent the ideals and values of the nation and create a setting where friends, family and visitors can honor veterans for their service.
“The healing that goes on here is unbelievable. We hear stories every day of people visiting and being moved by the experience,” says Jim Keller, who originated the project in 2005 and remains involved on the Welcome Home Soldier board.
The seven-acre outdoor monument is of national magnitude. It includes a variety of incredible monuments and statues, such as a Wall of Honor with the names of veterans etched into granite, Humble Hero Hill with 100 American flags, a bronze Iwo Jima statue, a bronze Vietnam War statue, a Korean War statue, a statue of a soldier playing taps and three white marble battlefield crosses. In 2025, a women’s monument will be established.
“The three battlefield crosses are especially meaningful. They represent the 21-gun salute, which is the highest honor you can bestow upon a soldier,” Keller explains. “They are also in honor of the 125,000 soldiers buried overseas that we will never get to be welcomed home.”
Inspired by a simple thanks
Keller is an Albia native who served a tour of duty in the Vietnam War.
About 30 years after returning from the war, Keller read a book by Gerald Coffee, an American Prisoner of War in Vietnam. The book compelled him to reach out to the author, which led to a face-to-face meeting. Upon introductions, Coffee said: “Thank you for your service and welcome home, soldier.”
Keller later realized it was the first time someone had thanked him for his service. That powerful moment inspired him to create a monument where all veterans – living and deceased – would be recognized and welcomed home.
To bring the idea to life, Keller worked with a group of local veterans and an architect to draw up plans for the monument. Monroe County offered the land for the project at no cost under a 28E agreement, which established an honored place in the heart of Iowa and the nation.
“You’ve got to have a commitment and love for it; everything else falls into place,” Keller says.
Welcome Home Soldier has raised more than $3.7 million in donations to date. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, all donations are tax deductible and the lifeline of the monument. The community has embraced it and it is led by a board of veterans, supported by a diverse advisory board, and professional legal and financial consultants.
Vision for ongoing community involvement
Currently, organizers ask everyone to consider honoring a veteran by adding names to the granite “Wall of Honor” for a $200 donation.
From volunteering to fundraising, individuals can support the monument in various ways. To learn how to get involved, visit www.welcomehomesoldiermonument.com.
Ann Foster Thelen is the editor of Iowa Electric Cooperative Living magazine.