Lake County Veterans Memorial Plaza Dedication Ceremony

2601 West Plane Rest Drive,Waukegan IL 60087

11 November, 2021

Description

Dedication Ceremony - Lake County Veterans Memorial Plaza The Lake County Veterans Memorial Plaza is a tribute to military veterans, a nod of appreciation to aviation's extraordinary engineers and mechanics, and, for many in Lake County, a symbol of our spirit and character. The signature piece of the project is an F-111A Aardvark built by General Dynamics in the 1960s. Join us to dedicate the Lake County Veterans Memorial to the military men and women who serve our country in time of peace and war. They make our country stronger and our future brighter. The Lake County Veterans Memorial (LCVM) concept began with a group of volunteers who applied to the U.S. Airforce to acquire an F-111A fighter jet to be restored and displayed at the Waukegan National Airport. The Air Force loan was granted, the volunteers disassembled the aircraft, and transferred it from Chanute AFB to the Waukegan National Airport where it would anchor a county-wide Veterans Park and Memorial at the Waukegan National Airport. The F-111A was disassembled in the Fall of 2015 and delivered to the volunteers who were eager to restore and reassemble the aircraft at the Waukegan National Airport . The restored F-111A Aardvark was lifted into its mounted position in May 2018. The herculean effort required years of volunteer support and donations from veterans, non-profit organizations, area businesses, the Great Lakes Contractor's Association, the Lake County Building and Construction Trade Council, and many individuals who contributed their time and expertise to the project.