On Thursday, April 21, Military Heritage Plaza was rededicated to include awards Clemson alumni received serving in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Military Heritage Plaza, first dedicated in 1996, is located between Memorial Auditorium and Bowman Field and displays replications of ribbons and medals received by Clemson alumni enclosed in acrylic boxes within the brick walls of the plaza.
“We gather today to update a key military site on Clemson’s campus,” said retired Lt. Gen. Jimmy Mullinax, U.S. Army. “This plaza provides a place to link our founding as a military college to the current cadets and marine candidates that will graduate, commissioned into our United States Military.”
The update included a refurbishment of the medals already placed within the bricks of the plaza with the addition of the medals received 
during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Inscriptions on the wall caps list the major conflicts in which Clemson men and women have served as of today. The medals replicated in the plaza represent thousands of men and women, but among them three were presented the Medal of Honor.
The Military Heritage Plaza was made possible by the generosity of the classes of ‘50, ‘51, ’52 and ’53 to honor the University’s history as a military institution, as well as Clemson alumni who have served in the U.S. Military.
“An integral part of our military heritage is remembering the sacrifice of those who have served. Especially, remembering the sacrifice of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their lives in service to their country,” said Tony Wagner, executive vice president for finance and operations. “There is a straight line through the bell tower to Howard’s Rock, and within that lies the scroll of honor memorial where all of those men who perished are remembered.”

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Katie Bradham, Photo Editor

The Color Guard retired the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem at the ceremony.