The history of the TCU Veterans Memorial, now known as Veterans Plaza, began with WWI and continues to evolve today with changing social attitudes towards conflict, war, and military service.
Sources
Arroyo, Lizbeth and Anna Claire Taylor. Zoom Interview with Kurt Piehler. September 29, 2024.
“Class Honors World War Veterans.” The Skiff. May 15, 1923.
“Honoring the Supreme Sacrifice: War Memorial to Receive Makeover this Summer.” The Skiff. November 19, 2004.
The Horned Frog. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University. 1924.
The Horned Frog. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University. 1926.
“In Commemoration of Valiant Deeds.” The Skiff. April 7, 1919.
Martin, Lisa. “Veterans Share Their Experiences in New Book.” TCU Magazine. Fall 2021.
Melton, Marcia. “TCU Memorial Arch Dedicated to Those Who Served Humanity.” TCU Magazine. 2013.
Piehler, Kurt G. “Remembering the War to End All Wars,” in Remembering War the American Way. (Smithsonian Books, 2004), 92-125.
Severance, Emily and Trisha Spence. “Veterans Plaza Honors 89 Fallen Frogs.” TCU Magazine. Fall 2021 .
Stone, Jacob. “TCU’s Vietnam Anti-War Adaptation.” Horned Frogs at War. 2020.
Texas Christian University, Dedication Plaque Added in 2005. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University. 2005.
“TCU Celebrates Veterans with Improved Veterans Plaza.” TCU News, November 8, 2024.
TCU Veterans Memorial Plaque. Dedicated 1923. Texas Christian University. Fort Worth, Texas.
“U.S. Enters the War,” National World War I Museum and Memorial. 2021.
“Veterans Plaza unnoticed by many passing students.” TCU 360. March 14, 2014.
“World War II at TCU,” Horned Frogs at War, TCU Library. 2020.
Lizbeth Arroyo
Lizbeth Arroyo is a senior from Fort Worth, Texas majoring in history with minors in Political Science and Italian.
Anna Claire Taylor
Anna Claire Taylor is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, and is a senior majoring in History and Political Science.
Audio Citations
Bogush, Paul. “World War I Trench Warfare Battlefields.” Freesound.org, 2016.
Lt. James Reese Europe’s 369th “Hellfighters” Jazz Band, “How Ya Gonna Keep Em down on the Farm.” YouTube, 2009.
Arthur Gibbs and His Gang, “The Charleston,” 1923, YouTube, 2011.
Moontide (freesound), “Walking on Gravel 05.” pixabay.com.
KVProds (Freesound Community), “Footsteps Gravel Running-Stop.” pixabay.com. Accessed November 2024.
Martin, Cody. “Medal of Valor.” Soundstripe, 2021.
Nesrality. “Marching Drums – Drum Solo2 -FX.” Pixaby.com. Accessed November 2023.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. Speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt. December 8, 1941.
For Further Reading
Hodgson, Jim. “From Cowboy to Doughboy: North Texas in WWI: Mobilization for ‘The Great War.’” fortworthbusiness.com, July 1, 2017.
Selcer, Richard. “Fort Worth History ‘Life Between Two Wars.’” Welcome to the City of Fort Worth, 2020.
Thornton, Virginia. “Memorialization on College Campuses Today.” Geography Capstone University of Richmond, December 2019.
“World War I.” Horned Frogs at War, 2022.
Our Guest
Dr. G. Kurt Piehler is a historian specializing in 20th century United States history. He received his bachelor’s degree from Drew University in 1982 and his Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 1990. He is an accomplished author with notable works such as Remembering War the American Way, which explores the roles of war memorials in the United States, and A Religious History of the American GI in World War II. He is also co-editor of Major Problems in American Military History and holds an associate professor position at Florida State University where he served as the History Director of the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience.