General Hugh Shelton Statue, Fayetteville
The statue of General Hugh Shelton depicts him in Vietnam-era uniform and gear. It stands 10-feet tall, weighs almost 1,800 pounds and stands on 6-feet tall polished black granite base. Shelton is standing “at ease” with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle dangling from his proper right hand and wearing the beret of a Special Forces unit with four general stars. The shirt above the left breast pocket shows the Combat Infantry badge, Airborne Wings and Pathfinder badge. The left sleeve has the Special Force, Ranger and Airborne tabs above the Special Forces badge. A canteen, holstered pistol and ammo pouches are clipped to his military harness belt. Shelton’s trousers are bloused into his boots airborne soldier style. The sculptor, Paul Moore, said that “It shows him as the warrior he was, as well as rank. What he became [with] the different units he served with,” shown on the statue’s base. A list of his awards and qualifications and a bible verse from Isaiah are also appear on the base. The statue and base are defined with a large circle make of black granite stones with polished tops which forms an area for landscaping around the base.
Images:
Front, west face inscription |
East face inscription |
North face inscription |
South face inscription |
Close-up view |
View with flags
Front, west face: [First row has patch for Joint Chief of Staff and U.S. Army Special Operations with Airborne Tab] / GENERAL / HENRY HUGH SHELTON / US ARMY / 1963-2001 / 14TH CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF / [Next row has four stars] / [Bottom row has 18th Airborne Corps patch, US Army Special Forces patch and 82nd Airborne Division patch)
South face: MILITARY QUALIFICATIONS AND AWARDS / [Next row has symbol for Combat Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachute Badge] / DEFENSE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL (4) / DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL (5) / LEGION OF MERIT (2) / BRONZE STAR MEDAL VALOR / BRONZE STAR MEDAL (4) / AIR MEDAL (3) / ARMY COMMEMDATION MEDAL (4) / PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION ARMY / PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION NAVY / JOINT MERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD / MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION / NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL (2) / ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL / VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL (4) / [Next row has symbol for Pathfinder Badge, Special Forces Tab, Army Freefall HALO Wings / Military Air Land Pilot Badge / KNIGHTED BY KING ELIZABETH II 2001 / AWARDED CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL 2002
East face: THEN I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD SAYING, / “WHOM SHALL I SEND AND WHO WILL GO FOR US? / “THEN I SAID, HERE I AM. SEND ME!” / ISAIAH 6:8
North face: KEY ASSIGNMENTS / 1997-2001 CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, THE PENTAGON / 1996-1997 COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, US SPECIAL OPEATIONS COMMAND / 1993-1996 CDR, XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS, FT BRAGG, NC / 1991-1993 CDR, 82D AIRBORNE DIV, FT BRAGG, NC / 1989-1991 ADC (0) 101ST AIRBORNE DIV (AA), FT CAMPBELL, KY & IRAQ / 1988-1989 DDO & J33, THE JOINT STAFF, THE PENTAGON / 1986-1987 CHIEF OF STAFF, 10TH MOUNTAIN DIV, FT DRUM, NY / 1983-1985 CDR, 504TH PIR, 82D AIRBORNE, FT BRAGG, NC / 1982 STUDENT, NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE / 1979-1981 CDR, 3-60 INF AND G-3, 9TH ID, FT LEWIS, WA / 1978-1979 ASSIGNMENTS OFFICER, MILITARY PERSONNEL CTR, DC / 1973-1977 25TH INFANTRY DIV, HAWAII / 1973 STUDENT, AIR COMMAND & STAFF, MAXWELL AFB, AL / 1970-1972 INSTRUCTOR AND S3, FLORIDA RANGER CAMP / 1969 S2 4TH BN AND CDR CO C-4TH BN, 173D AIRBORNE BDE, RVN / 1968 BATTALION XO AND BRIGAGE S4, 3D AIT BDE, FT JACKSON, SC / 1967 DET B-52 (DELTA) AND CDR, A-104,
5TH SPECIAL FORCES, RVN / 1966 108TH TNG DIV (USAR) / 1963-1965 PLATOON LEADER 2D INF & 11TH AIR ASSAULT DIVISIONS
United States Army: Airborne and Special Operations Museum
August 27, 2010
35.055950 , -78.885480
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Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation, asomf.org, (accessed January 10, 2017) Link
Futch, Michael. “Museum Unveils Shelton Statue,” Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, NC) August 28, 2010
Futch, Michael. “Sculptor Sought to Show Personality,” Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, NC) August 28, 2010
“About General Shelton,” Shelton Leadership Center, North Carolina State University, (accessed January 3, 2017) Link
“Airborne and Special Operations Museum Unveil Gen. Shelton Statue,” Shadowspear.com, September 7, 2010 (accessed December 28, 2016) Link
“Monuments,” CrownArtsinc.com, (accessed January 3, 2017) Link
“Statue of Retired Gen. Shelton Unveiled at Military Museum,” WRAL.com, August 27, 2010, (accessed January 10, 2017) Link
Yes
Bronze, granite
H. Ross Perot
General Shelton and the statue’s donor H. Ross Perot were both present at the dedication. “This is by far the most humbling experience that I have ever had, bar none,” Shelton said. “Standing here in the shadow of this magnificent statue, there are only two words that come to mind: ‘Wow’ and the other is ‘thanks'.” Perot, a longtime friend of Shelton, said he felt something had to be done to remember his service. Reading an inscription from the book of Isaiah that appears on the statue base, Perot commented on how it was reflective of Shelton’s life. “Here am I, send me.’ That’s what he has done through his entire career and since he’s been retired,” Perot said. “First to go, first to volunteer, first to take the risk and first to get the job done.” Tony Chavonne, mayor of Fayetteville, also spoke words of admiration to Shelton prior to assisting Perot with the unveiling as the audience “erupted into a sea of applause.”
The dedication was limited to family, close friends, a select group of chief executive officers and retired Army generals; a crowd of about 160 in total.
Gen. (Ret.) H. Hugh Shelton was born in Tarboro, North Carolina and North Carolina State University graduate. He ended his 38 year military career in 2001 after spending the last four years of it as the 14th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Shelton served with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Vietnam, as the commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, as commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps and commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command.
H. Ross Perot has been an avid supporter of the military and Army Special Operations. He also donated the funds to erect statues of Army Special Forces veterans Col. Arthur “Bull” Simons and Maj. Dick Meadows at Fort Bragg, N.C.
The statue stands outside the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, at 100 Bragg Blvd. Fayetteville, NC 28301. The sidewalk leading to the main entrance is embedded with square marble blocks inscribed in memory of individual deceased veterans. The General Hugh Shelton statue stands down a tree-lined sidewalk to the north of Iron Mike next to a grass lawn. The Black Test Platoon Marker and Special Operations Force Dog memorial are nearby.
The museum grounds are richly landscaped with trees, bushes and seasonal greenery.
Memorial Day, Airborne Day and Veterans Day services are held annually on the Airborne and Special Operations Museum grounds.
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