The Harris County War Memorial opened in 1985 during the administration of former Harris County Precinct Three Commissioner Bob Eckels.
It shows the names of Harris County residents who died in service to our country during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, The Vietnam War, the first Persian Gulf War and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Most recently, under the direction of current Precinct Three Commissioner Steve Radack, new sections were added to honor local U.S. Merchant Marines who died during World War II and those who lost their lives in the U.S. Coast Guard during various conflicts. In addition, Commissioner Radack recently ordered a dramatic expansion to the War Memorial. More granite walls and columns were added to carry the names of war dead from World War I and World War II that were inadvertently left off when the monument was first built. Many names spelled incorrectly during the original construction have also been fixed.
In total, more than 1,000 names were added in 2011. More names have also been added to the War Memorial because of a change in precinct policy instigated by Commissioner Radack. In the past, only the names of those killed as a direct result of enemy action were listed. Now, all Harris County servicemen and women who are designated as casualties of war by the U.S. Department of Defense are listed.
The War Memorial is an ongoing project. It represents our best effort to make sure the county’s war dead are listed. Improvements, additions and corrections are scheduled around the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the War Memorial. If you know of someone who should be on the War Memorial who died in one of conflicts listed above and who is not shown, please contact our Parks Office at (281) 531-1592.