AOH Memorial & History
AOH History
In 1985, under the direction of National President Joe Roche, an obelisk of Wicklow Granite was erected in the grove to honor all of the recipients of the Medal of Honor who were not previously recognized because they did not have a home state. Listed on the AOH Obelisk are the names of 160 foreign born recipients of the Medal of Honor from at least 18 countries who could not be accredited to a state due to lack of citizenship. Of this group 65 are credited with Irish birth. Thanks to the efforts of the AOH men are honored from these countries of birth.
- Australia
- Birthplace Unknown
- Canada
- Denmark
- England
- France
- Germany
- Holland
- Ireland
- Japan
- Malta
- Norway
- Philippines
- Russia
- Scotland
- South Wales
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- West Indies
How the AOH got Involved in the Medal of Honor Grove
Sister Maria Veronica of the Sister, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, had retired to Camilla Hall after a life time of teaching. Not one to sit around, she made it her life’s ambition to do a military research on all of the men who were the recipients of the Medal of Honor in our nation’s history. It was during this research that she had noticed that a number of the men who received the medal could not be accredited to any state or territory. Most of these men had been born in Ireland and never had the opportunity to become an American citizen. Sister Veronica was a very good friend of the late Bob Dougherty. Bob was a very active member (and a charter member) of the Chester County Ancient Order of Hibernians. Bob passed this information on to the National President of the AOH, Joe Roche. Joe formed a committee and through the dedication and hard work of these committee members the idea of an AOH obelisk was brought to fruition. The seven feet seven inch obelisk made of Wicklow granite and is centered on an octagonal plaza is located near the entrance to the Medal of Honor Grove overlooking a man made pond. Engraved on the memorial are the names of those men from Ireland who are recipients of the medal and also the names of those men from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Norway, Philippines, Scotland, South Wales, Sweden, Switzerland, West Indies and the names of five men with a birthplace unknown.
In 1989 Sister Maria Veronica, received the prestigious Anna C. Malia Award from the Pennsylvania Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, for her historical research.
1985 AOH Area Dedication Ceremony
Recipients in attendance:
Charles A. MacGillivary
James M. Burt
Eugene Bennett Fluckey
Sister Maria Veronica is seated with them.
Poem
This poem was composed by Bridget Dunleavy. It was written to pay tribute to those 160 stateless immigrants, who earned the Medal of Honor, America’s highest military award and whose names are memorialized on the Ancient Order of Hibernian’s obelisk at the Medal of Honor Grove.
To The Immigrant Soldiers:
December 25, 2014
In blood they stood
And in their ghosts
So too we stand this day.
The freedom wrought
So costly bought
In an iron, final pain.
From lands unknown
To hear they sailed
To fight for liberty.
They heard the name
And with no shame
They left to fight across the sea.
Salute these here!
The ones who gave
To us their unknown lives
For so long as we
Honor those deeds
Still, now they are nigh.
They stood in blood
And we in gold
Honoring their fight
Tread softly here,
Silence your tongue
And forever, keep the flame alight.
October 2017 AOH Area Improvement
June – October 2017 Members of the AOH built the wall, replaced the sidewalks, built a garden for the 160 ground plaques which were installed. Beautiful tribute to these immigrants that received the Medal of Honor.
