The names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia men and women killed in combat while serving in our U.S. military forces from World War II to present day are permanently engraved on the glass and stone walls of the Shrine of Memory at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.
Every year thousands visit the Virginia War Memorial to view the names of these heroes, which are listed by conflict and by the Virginia locality they each called home. This year, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, the Virginia War Memorial will initiate a new and unique way to honor and remember these brave Virginians – the “Say Their Names Marathon.”
At the conclusion of the annual Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony, at approximately 12:45 p.m., Virginians from all walks of life will begin reading aloud the names of every hero whose name is listed in the Shrine of Memory. With each reader assigned to read fifty names, the Marathon will continue nonstop in the order in which they are listed in the Shrine of Memory. It is estimated that the Marathon will take up to 12 hours to complete and end around 12:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 27.
Members of the public who are interested in becoming a reader in the inaugural “Say Their Names Marathon” will need to register online at https://vawarmemorial.org/events/say-their-names-marathon-2025/ to secure their slot of the more than 200 slots it will take to complete the marathon. All participants must register online, as there will be no walk-up readers accommodated the day of the event.
“Our greatest mission at the Virginia War Memorial is to recognize, remember and honor the Virginia heroes who died fighting for our Commonwealth and our Nation. We pursue and fulfill this mission not just on Memorial Day, but every day of the year,” said Dr. Clay Mountcastle, Virginia War Memorial Director.
“There is a quote often attributed to Ernest Hemingway that reads, ‘Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways, men can be immortal.’ By reading these names aloud during our inaugural Say Their Names Marathon, we can assure that each of those included here are remembered by all who hear them,” added Dr. Mountcastle.
The Virginia War Memorial, a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS), will host the 69th annual Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 26, 2025, in the Heilman Amphitheater. The “Say Their Names Marathon” will begin at the conclusion of the formal ceremony in the Shrine of Memory - 20th Century. The public is invited and encouraged to attend the ceremony and to support those reading the names through the afternoon and evening.
Admission to the Virginia War Memorial at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Va. 23220 is free and free parking is available. The interior of the Virginia War Memorial will be open for visitation on Memorial Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Memorial grounds and Shrine of Memory will be open until the conclusion of the “Say Their Names Marathon.” For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov.
About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth, and Inspire Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars, and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is and will always be the Commonwealth’s tribute to those who served and most especially, to those who died defending our freedoms. Every day is truly Memorial Day at the Virginia War Memorial. The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military. It is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 50 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates three long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries; and operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
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