Boots Of 29 Fallen RI Soldiers To Be Displayed In Warwick

WARWICK, RI — The boots of 29 Rhode Island fallen U.S. service members will be displayed in front of Warwick City Hall on Friday and Saturday. The local event heralds the return of the full Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial set for Memorial Day weekend in Newport.

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In 2016, Operation Stand Down R.I. launched the Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial and staged nearly 7,000 boots, each with an American flag and its own placard. Each boot represents the life of a U.S. service member killed in the post-9/11 Global War on Terror. The memorial is updated yearly.

Operation Stand Down, based in Johnston, is a nonprofit agency that provides crucial wrap-around services to homeless and at-risk veterans. The organization helps with employment and training, housing, basic human needs, and legal assistance.

The full Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial will be displayed at Fort Adams in Newport over Memorial Day weekend, and admission is free for all attendees. Last year, the event could not be staged due to the pandemic.

“Warwick is honored to team up with Operation Stand Down Rhode Island to honor our veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice. It saddens me to see the memorial grow each year, which is why it’s vital to continue honoring them with memorials like this,” said Mayor Frank Picozzi.

The boots depicting the names and stories of the 29 Rhode Island Fallen will be on display between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on April 9-10 in front of Warwick City Hall.