Armed Forces

Havre de Grace citizens have always rallied to the defense of their country and have sent soldiers to war in every conflict, serving as militiamen in colonial times, and combatants in US conflicts from the War of 1812, the Civil War, two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, the Gulf War, and Afghanistan and countless other situations where soldiers, sailors, and fliers have been in harms way. Havre de Gracians serve in peace and war, with the City always the home of many active servicemen and women, many of whom are posted at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, as well as numerous veterans who choose to retire here.

 

In 1919, the City erected a memorial in what is now Tydings Park to those citizens who served in World War I. Each is listed by name under a statement which reads: “This Memorial erected by the citizens of Havre de Grace as an expression of gratitude to those of this community who served their country in the Great World War.” In a reflection of race relations at that time, the one hundred thirty-one white and forty-two African America soldiers are listed separately. There is also a third list of the eight local men who died while in service. Two separate memorial stones have been added to the site, the first reading, “For God and Country, Erected in Grateful Tribute to Those Who Served”, and the second, “World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War.”