‘Wall of Heroes’ installation showcases Auburn military history

In honor of Auburn’s rich history of students and alumni serving in the U.S. military, the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is paying tribute to veterans with two new installations in Foy Hall.

The Auburn Wall of Heroes honors Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, the only Auburn alumnus who has been awarded the Medal of Honor. The display includes his Medal of Honor, which is the country’s highest military decoration, and other meaningful items that highlight his time at Auburn and his service to the country.

Livingston graduated from Auburn in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps the very same day. He went on to complete a 33-year career in the military, earning the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War for leading his troops through dangerous enemy fire while sustaining two injuries from grenade fragments and one gunshot wound.

It also features Eugene Sledge, who graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn — then known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute (API) — in 1949 and 1955. Sledge, who also served in the Marine Corps, published two memoirs about his experiences fighting in WWII. His display, which was previously housed in the VRC, includes one of his full-dress uniforms, several medals, copies of his books and more.

The Sledge family began donating memorabilia from his days in the service to Auburn more than 20 years ago, and the Eugene B. Sledge Papers, which are held in Auburn Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives, contain material from all aspects of his life, service, career and family.

Other features of the Wall of Heroes include a U.S. flag from the World Trade Center and busts of Marine Corps veterans Johnny Michael Spann, a 1992 graduate and the first American killed in combat during the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, and “Howlin’ Mad” Smith, who graduated from API in 1901 and is known as the father of modern U.S. amphibious warfare.

The project was funded by the VRC with assistance from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and Campus Dining.

The second installation, which will begin construction this coming spring, will be the Auburn Military and Veteran Heritage Wall. It will feature the seventh line of the Auburn Creed, which reads, “I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by ‘doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God.’”

The wall will feature a timeline that highlights stories that intertwine veterans’ military service with their time at Auburn. It will also feature a screen scrolling the names of Auburn students, alumni, faculty, staff and family members who are veterans, and a QR code will allow visitors to add names to the list.

To submit a name to the list of veterans, visit the Wall of Heroes Initiative Survey.

Puck Esposito, director of the VRC, said Gen. Livingston’s demonstration of honor, commitment and courage are a testament to the university’s long-standing tradition of service to the nation.

“Gen. Livingston’s display case and the newly completed Wall of Heroes will be a constant reminder that freedom is never free, and the men and women of Auburn are always ready to answer the call,” he said.