“Happy Birthday Big Guy”

    Sunday, August 22, 1010 was the one year anniversary of the installation of the magnificent Golden Knight Statue and Memorial in front of the Headquarters facility.

    Looking back it was a really exciting day.  It was an extremely hot morning and many people awaited the arrival of the statue and base in the cool interior of the team museum. A large truck arrived carrying the base which was to be carefully placed to rest after a long haul from Georgia. Three men skillfully hoisted the base up continually adjusting two straps which were holding up the enormous chunk of stone.

 They centered the monument in front of the building and placed bags of ice underneath it to insure it was maneuvered to the appropriate spot.

James “Skippy” Cassel guided the stone which he had designed and donated to the dead center target. Alumni member RJ Smith,who recently flew to our Blue Skies, placed a team coin underneath the stone which will hold his memory there forever more.

   It was then time to get the “Big Guy” Golden Knight statue on his feet to take charge of his post. They lifted him with a crane a gently guided him down the side walk to mount him on his pedestal of shimmering black marble. The names of every individual who has served with the team since 1959 was inscribed in a beautiful glistening gold font around three sides of the monument. The front of the Memorial displays the historical Auls head and red, white and blue authentic Pocket Patch designed by team mates and worn by the team.

    Spider and Nancy Wrenn pulled there car out front and played the Original Team music which was recently recomposed by the Army Band. Alumni, current team members, family and friends cheerfully gathered for this historical occasion.

GK 1st Lady

    I am attaching a piece done by our wonderful friend and team mate Regina Hudson form the Golden Knight Alumni Association web site.

The Story of the “Big Guy”

Conceived	December 2007
Installed	August 22, 2009
Dedicated	December 19, 2009
Statue	Created by Jason Arkles and Forged at Liberty Arts Foundry, Durham, NC Measures 6’11″ Tall and is Made of Bronze – With Base: Total Height is 13’3″
Base	Created by New Future Granite Co, Elberton, GA Measures 4′ x 4′ x 6′ High and is Made of “Premium Jet” Black Granite
Kick Plate	Measures 4’6″ x 4’6″ x 6″ High and Protects the Names Engraved on the Lower Base

 

Prior to the 50th anniversary of the Golden Knights in 2009, many ideas of how to commemorate this unique event were being discussed and planned by active and alumni Team members. At the Alumni reunion of 2007, the concept of creating a Memorial statue and base was conceived. The new Museum and Team area had been completed in 2003, and the empty area in the front lawn seemed a perfect place to erect a monument to those who had been the heart of the Team’s 50-year history.

By the summer of 2008, a full-fledged effort was underway to design, fund and prepare for the monument.  The base was designed to display the names of all those who had been a Golden Knight or who been an integral part of the history of the Golden Knights.  One huge problem existed.  No one had ever compiled a roster of the Golden Knights.

Many statue designs and artists were considered.  Although only one design was chosen, they all offered a meaningful tribute to the legacy of the Golden Knights and honored the traditions of the Knights. Ultimately, the design chosen was based on the statuette that the early Golden Knights were awarded as a memento when they left the Team.  This statuette was awarded in the 1960s and 1970s.

The artist chosen to create the statue was Jason Arkles, a sculptor of monuments in marble and bronze.  Jason won the commission after an international search of creative talent.

Photo of Jason Arkles and the Big Guy at left by John Gessener. Copyright 2010.

Funds were solicited from alumni members and sponsors; however, a significant portion of the cost was contributed by alumnus, Jim “Skippy” Cassel and his wife, Rona. Skip’s dedication to this project cannot be overestimated. Skip also financed the stone base and pillar, oversaw its design and construction, and managed the addition of the inscriptions. The total project cost in excess of $125,000.

Funds were solicited from alumni members and sponsors; however, a significant portion of the cost was contributed by alumnus, Jim “Skippy” Cassel and his wife, Rona. Skip’s dedication to this project cannot be overestimated. Skip also financed the stone base and pillar, oversaw its design and construction, and managed the addition of the inscriptions. The total project cost in excess of $125,000.

A special patio was constructed in front of Team headquarters. It was designed to showcase the monument and to carry its immense weight.  The base alone weighs 28,000 lbs. The poured concrete had to cure for 30 days.

While the creative plans for the monument were progressing, a furious effort was being mounted to complete a roster. The memories of original Team members were searched. Old log books were studied. Alumni members were sent list after list to verify. Innumerable phone calls and other attempts were made to track potential Teammates. Team records and mementos were scoured.  Old orders were requested.  Old commanders were contacted.  Endless debates were conducted.

The roster was especially important because the names all Team members and those of a few significant others would be inscribed on the base.

The project roster included the Team members as of the inception of the USAPT in 1961, selected STRAC Sport Parachute Team members who participated in the program between 1959-1961, early Team aviators, selected Department of the Army personnel and selected civilians.

The person most instrumental in compiling the roster was George Torrealba. His tireless efforts resulted in the recovery of information about the Golden Knights that is priceless. Expecting to have months yet to complete the search, George was informed in February 2009, that the complete list was needed in 30 days.

By March 2009, the list was almost complete, enough so that a template was cut by the stone crafters on March 6th. The names are arranged by decade and/or category.  In the event that other names needed to be added in the future, Skip purposefully left space after each section.

Skip modeled the design of the inscriptions on that used on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC. The font style and size are the same. Each name is inlaid with gold.

On May 9th, Jason Arkles began pouring the statue.  The “pour” was completed in late July, and the statue was ready to be delivered 31 days later.

August 22, 2009
On an overcast, sweltering day in August, the base and statue arrived at Team headquarters in Fort Bragg, NC. Spirits were soaring.  A crowd of active and alumni Team members, family and friends gathered to witness the culmination of years of planning, fundraising and anticipation.  Without mishap, the base and statue came home.

FYI: When laying large stone pillars like the base of the statue, ice packs are laid as a foundation.  The pillar can then be more easily repositioned. As the ice melts, the pillar settles into place.

December 19, 2009
A crowd of alumni, family members and friends gathered for the official dedication of the monument. The tribute obviously meant a great deal to all who attended. So many memories.  So much history. Many family members made rubbings of the names of their loved ones.  The monument will stand as an enduring tribute to the efforts and dedication of so many who have served their country with honor and skill.

Many people contributed to the success of this project: alumni Treasurer Spider Wrenn, alumni President Sonny Hill, Team Commander LTC Tony Dill, Media Relations Director Donna Dixon, and so many more. Apologies to those who were not named. Also, Thank You to all the family members who supported the men and women who worked so hard on this project. Their understanding and encouragement did not go unnoticed. 

Photos by Regina Hudson, except as noted.