Design Concept
As you travel the path to the memorial, you first notice plantings on either side of the pathway. These plantings represent the ARIA family and our new found family in Walkersville.
Continuing; you pass two black granite monoliths. One monolith displays our heartfelt gratitude to the Town of Walkersville, and to the first responders that searched for our family that May day. The second displays the Department of the Air Force insignia and the dedication history by the ARIA 328 Memorial Foundation.
Approaching the Memorial you observe the compass design consisting of a field of Memorial Bricks. The overall diameter of the compass is 328 inches, representing the tail number of ARIA 61-0328.
The compass pedestal is circular black granite with the angular top reflecting the sky above engraved with the names of the 21 crew and passengers.
There are 21 plantings encompassing the memorial, each representing a crew member or passenger.
The compass indicator is pointing west, the way back home, and to the ARIA 328 Memorial located at the National Museum of the Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.