The Circle of Heroes is an underwater military veterans memorial 10 miles off the coast of Honeymoon Island State Park in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the first underwater veterans memorial.[1]
Circle of Heroes | |
---|---|
Location | Florida, USA |
Waterbody | Veterans Memorial Reef |
Nearest land | Caladesi Island State Park |
Coordinates | 28°01′35″N 82°54′48″W / 28.0264°N 82.9133°W |
Dive type | Open-water |
Depth range | 36 to 40 ft (11 to 12 m) |
Average visibility | 31 to 35 ft (9.4 to 10.7 m) |
Entry type | Boat |
Bottom composition | Sand |
Water | Salt |
The statues were placed during the week of July 22, 2019 after 2-1/2 years of planning and creating.[2][3] It was dedicated on August 5, 2019 and currently has thirteen 6-foot tall statues at a depth of 40 feet underwater with plans to add an additional twelve statues.[4] At the center, there is a 4 foot high, 3-ton pentagon shaped monument with the emblems from five military branches, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy.[5][6] The statues form a 100 foot circle around the center monument.[6] The memorial is considered a recreational dive site.
Each statue weighs 1,200 pounds.[7]
The statues depict:[8]