Veterans Day 2009
Leesburg and area residents joined Friends of Dodona Manor in honoring Virginia's citizen soldiers on Veterans Day, November 11, in special ceremonies on the grounds of Dodona Manor. Fred Morefield, president of the George C. Marshall International Center (GCMIC) announced that the Town of Leesburg is joining GCMIC in hosting the event which is sponsored by Northrop Grumman.
Congressman Frank Wolf and Brigadier General (Retired) Ted Shuey were featured speakers at the ceremonies honoring the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment of the Virginia National Guard. Third Battalion veteran Giancarlo Brizzi will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
The National Guard armories of Leesburg and Winchester are home to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 3rd Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team respectively. The men and women of the 3rd Battalion are veterans of multiple deployments to Iraq and Kuwait and expect to be deployed back to the Middle East in 2010 or 2011. Special invited guests included a contingent of wounded veterans from the Martinsburg (WV) Veterans Hospital as well as the soldiers assigned to both armories.
Ceremonies began with a parade featuring a marching unit from Company C and military vehicles from the Loudoun County Courthouse along Market Street to the entrance of Dodona Manor . Ceremonies also included a wreath-laying at the statue of General George C. Marshall to mark the 50th anniversary of Marshall's death on October 16, 1959.
Kitty Winn gives talk at Dodona Manor
The first of three talks by the grandchildren of George C. Marshall
Over the years the grandchildren of Katherine and George Marshall have been most helpful in furtherance of the Center's mission. Recently each of them gave an informal talk on what they remember. If you weren't fortunate enough to be able to attend, you can still view a video of our first talk with Kitty Winn. Click on the image below to play the video.
Over 200 Join in Commemoration - Veterans Day 2008
On a blustery and surprisingly cold November 11th, the Town of Leesburg joined us in hosting the Veterans Day commemoration at Dodona Manor. The 2008 focus was on veterans of the Korean War and resulted in the attendance of a large number people from the local Korean-American community. In total, more than 200 people were present, including military attaches from 17 of the countries that fought along side the Americans under the UN flag.
     
Korean Consul General Taemyon Kwon and Grand Master Eung Gil Choi, proprietor of the Leesburg Tae Kwon Do school, spoke movingly of the sacrifices of the US forces and their allies and thanked them on behalf of the Korean people. General Paul F. Gorman (US Army, Retired), who gave the keynote speech, reminded everyone of the importance and special challenges of this war. The progress that South Korea has made over the last fifty years was brought out by Major General John A. Macdonald, who also spoke; General Macdonald served in Korea for eight years. The invocation and benediction were given by Admiral Trower, who is retired from the Chaplain Corps. Once again, Colonel Gerhard "Jake" Jacobson (US Army, Retired) served as the Master of Ceremonies.
Historic Statue of George Marshall Unveiled - Veterans Day 2007
The George C. Marshall International Center honored veterans past and present during its annual Veterans Day Commemoration on Sunday, November 11, 2007. The event included a ceremonial unveiling of the historic statue of George C. Marshall that once stood on the grounds of the Leesburg Courthouse. A special invocation was given, in addition to remarks from Peter Burnett, Chair of the Leesburg Courts Facilities and Grounds Task Force, who oversaw relocation of the statue to its present placement on the south lawn of Dodona Manor. Veterans enjoyed free tours of Dodona Manor as part of this special day.
Created by sculptor Rosario Fiore, the bronze statue of Marshall was commissioned by the George C. Marshall Memorial Committee, which was established by the late B. Powell Harrison. Mr. Harrison was a prominent Leesburg civic leader who also led the effort during the 1990s to preserve and restore Dodona Manor, Marshall's private residence from 1941-1959.
The statue was originally installed in 1980 on the grounds of the Leesburg Courthouse, where it remained for nearly 20 years until the courthouse underwent its most recent restoration. During the restoration the statue was placed in storage. Its absence from the courthouse grounds has been a source of public inquiry by admirers of General Marshall and by visitors to Leesburg.
In its new location the statue serves to connect Dodona Manor with the remarkable man who once lived there, and further enhances the gateway into historic Leesburg. The statue casts Marshall not in his military uniform but in his casual clothing, the way that Leesburg residents would have most likely seen him during the 1940s and 50s. Funds to build a new base for the statue were contributed by Loudoun County and various private sources.
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