The Field of Honor

Military service is a big part of Chandler’s history. During WWII, 500 of Chandler’s 1,300 residents enlisted or were drafted into the military. Chandler was the closest town to Williams Air Field which trained Air Force Pilots for fifty years. The only memorial for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice is a plaque in A.J. Chandler park downtown.

The Field of Honor will be a regional memorial built at Veteran’s Oasis Park in southeast Chandler. The lower part of the memorial is a rectangular grass field with stone pillars of various heights that will look like the American flag and will symbolize troops going off and returning to war, and those who have perished. A raised portion of the memorial is designed to look like the Arizona state flag and also the Service Flag of War Mothers.

Phase 1 of the project is expected to cost $2 million. Most of the money is donated from the surrounding community, including a large donation from the Gila River Indian Community, but the first phase is still $240k short. The City is currently considering covering the shortfall.