Returning home: Heritage Park memorial to honor sacrifice beyond the battlefield
By CLARA BEARD
A new memorial honoring military service members and the families behind them has been officially greenlit for installation at Heritage Park.
Known as “Returning Home,” the memorial is the future product of a partnership between the city of Dana Point and the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group. At the center will be a bronze sculpture depicting a Marine returning home, surrounded by commemorative benches, engraved pavers and a Wall of Honor dedicated to veterans and military families.
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Courtesy of Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group
A rendering of “Returning Home,” a military memorial coming to Heritage Park in September
For Terry Rifkin, past president and one of the founders of the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group, the project is deeply personal.
“You know, the families serve too,” Rifkin said.
The inspiration for this project partly came from a conversation Rifkin had with a Marine sergeant at Camp Pendleton. It was pointed out that while there were many monuments honoring service members, there were few recognizing the sacrifices made by loved ones back home.
The observation hit close to home for Rifkin, whose father served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II and met her mother while training in Tennessee. After a brief courtship, the two married before he was deployed to England for two years.
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Courtesy of Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group
Past president Terry Rifkin (far left) stands with members of the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group
“At the same time, three brothers were deployed to Europe, and the family home became a place of shared strength, housing daughters-in-law and sisters, all bound by sacrifice and uncertainty,” Rifkin recalled. “That is why the phrase ‘family is forever’ resonates so deeply with me. The sacrifices of military families are at the very heart of this project.”
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Photo by Clara Beard
The new memorial will be constructed at Heritage Park this summer
The idea for the memorial first began roughly six years ago and initially focused on Dana Point’s longtime relationship with the 5th Marine Regiment at Camp Pendleton. Over time, however, Rifkin said the vision expanded to all military branches and what Rifkin called the “homefront heroes” who support them.
The centerpiece sculpture was created by Loveland, Colo. artist Sutton Betti and later modified specifically to depict a Marine. Rifkin said the group worked closely with sergeant majors and Marine leadership to make sure details of the uniform were accurate.
The project is expected to take approximately two to three months to complete. The features, including the sculpture, granite monument, pavers and plaques, are anticipated to arrive by mid-September ahead of a planned dedication window between October 27 to 30.
The dedication is also expected to feature “Remembering Our Fallen,” a nationally recognized traveling memorial exhibit honoring service members killed in combat, training accidents or by post-traumatic stress during the Global War on Terror.
The exhibit includes approximately 5,500 photographs displayed across 35 memorial towers and will remain in Dana Point for several days surrounding the dedication ceremony, Rifkin said.
With construction set to start soon, project organizers are making a final call for those interested in sponsoring an engraved paver, a commemorative bench or a bronze plaque.
“There’s still time for people to participate,” Rifkin said. “It’s an enduring tribute. It’ll be here for generations.”
The Dana Point City Council approved the construction contract for the project during its May 5 meeting, voting 5-0 in favor of the memorial.
Under the agreement, the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group is responsible for fundraising and providing the statue, benches, plaques, pavers and inscription services, while the city is overseeing site construction and ongoing maintenance.
More information about the Heritage Park Memorial Project can be found at www.danapoint5thmarines.com.
