Commentary: Veterans Day: A monumental occasion in Utah

Six months ago, Utah and the rest of the nation observed Memorial Day. On that solemn occasion we paid tribute to service members who did not make it home alive.

On Veterans Day, we honor military personnel who did return home safely. Some of those who served, however, sustained inconspicuous injuries that have affected their lives ever since. 

In the Beehive State and elsewhere, the day includes parades and other events that convey our tremendous gratitude to veterans who have helped preserve a way of life Americans have treasured for over 250 years. 

Veterans Day owes its origin to the aftermath of the First World War (1914-1918). According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, its observance began on Nov 11, 1919, one year after WWI, and was originally known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day became an official U.S. holiday in 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

Throughout the entire length and breadth of Utah, meaningful activities will take place on Veterans Day and the following weekend. One of the most significant of those events is planned in the city of Sunset near Hill Air Force Base.

On Veterans Day weekend, a monumental celebration in Sunset will commemorate the construction of one of the most unique and profound veterans memorials ever built in Utah.

The Utah Agent Orange Memorial was completed in early October and its official dedication is scheduled for Nov. 20. On that historic occasion, Utah will became the latest state to pay tribute to veterans exposed to toxic chemicals in Vietnam and elsewhere with a fitting and rather conspicuous monument.

At 10 feet high, 8 feet wide, and almost 2 feet thick (excluding its base and cap), the memorial is an impressive structure. In addition to vast dimensions, its orange color makes it strikingly apparent in the landscape of Sunset Veterans Park. 

Some of the memorial’s other distinctive features include a giant-sized Orange Heart Medal on its front and an image of an Air Force C-123 aircraft spraying Agent Orange etched in stone on its back.

With such extraordinary characteristics, the Agent Orange Memorial is undoubtedly fated to become one of the most renowned landmarks in the entire Beehive State. I can hardly imagine otherwise. 

Its immense appeal will likely attract visitors who travel to the Hill Aerospace Museum at Hill Air Force Base. Another nearby attraction is the replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Layton, which honors wartime casualties.

The dedication ceremony for the Agent Orange Memorial will represent the culmination of a formidable project that began about three years ago in Davis County.

Compelled by Agent Orange related health issues and the staggering death toll that hazardous defoliant was causing, Vietnam veteran Larry Kerr established the Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation.

With Larry as its chairman, the foundation set out to build a monument recognizing victims of Agent Orange and similar toxic herbicides, educate future generations about the use of those chemicals, and provide a place for reflection.

Over a period of time, the organization’s mission evolved to include recognition of Gulf War and post-9/11 era veterans exposed to toxic chemicals as well.

The memorial was designed to be a proper tribute that helps ensure the sacrifice of Utah veterans is preserved long after their heroic battle with illnesses caused by toxic chemicals is over.

Accomplishing the task of building the memorial took a great deal of dedication and tenacious effort. Those attributes are exemplified by zealous members of the Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation and ardent supporters of the organization’s mission.

The valuable support of individuals who helped transform a dream into a reality has come from all corners of Utah and beyond, showing the monument’s symbolism strikes a chord with Americans regardless of where they live. 

Foundation Board of Directors member Hannah Smalling vividly demonstrated the prevailing relevance of the Agent Orange Memorial at its groundbreaking ceremony in the fall of 2025.

In a teary-eyed speech, Hannah described how her father, Vietnam veteran Robert Smalling, had been struggling with serious health problems caused by his exposure to Agent Orange.

Hannah’s heartwrenching description aptly illustrated the memorial’s profound significance. Very soon that meaningful, majestic, and timeless tribute will take its rightful place in Utah’s storied history.