Artist: Douwe Blumberg

Location: World Trade Center Memorial, New York, NYC 

Year: 2011

“It was a perilous mission. US Special Forces were on the ground in Afghanistan within weeks of the 9/11 terror attacks to begin the war against the Taliban. Despite the raft of high-tech gear at their disposal, it was the trusty horse that proved pivotal in the campaign. The mounted US troops became known as the “horse soldiers”. A new monument depicting a soldier on his mount honours their efforts,” Major Brandon Bissell reported.

The Special Forces teams faced enormous operational challenges and were required to rapidly adapt 21st century combat technologies and tactics into age-old Central Asian models of guerilla and tribal warfare as they partnered with the Afghan tribes of the Northern Alliance.

The Special Forces teams faced enormous operational challenges and were required to rapidly adapt 21st century combat technologies and tactics into age-old Central Asian models of guerilla and tribal warfare as they partnered with the Afghan tribes of the Northern Alliance.

This statue is a memorial to  the Soldiers and horses that fought and died in the  Northern Afghanistan. Needing  transportation to navigate the difficult mountainous terrain of Northern Afghanistan, the Special Forces Operational Detachments – Alpha (SFOD-A), or A-teams, were provided horses by the Afghan tribes they were supporting.

 

The Green Berets readily accepted this superior form of mobility and proceeded to assist and advise the Northern Alliance fighters from horseback, similar to the cavalry days of old.

Co-ordinating military operations while on horseback with local tribal warlords, the Green Berets accomplished in weeks what many thought would take months, if not years, defeating the Taliban and pushing surviving members of al-Qaeda into the mountains of Pakistan.

Soon after, the Green Berets would adopt the familiar title of Horse Soldiers.

In October of 2012, The statue was rededicated and  placed watching over the World Trade Center Memorial.

“Today, just as we gather to rededicate this statue, we pledge to rededicate ourselves to honor the bravest that our nation has to offer,” said Vince McGowan, president of the United War Veterans Council.

 

~George Washington Equestrian Statue~

Artist: Clark Mills

Location: Washington Circle, Washington D.C., USA 

 

~George Washington on Horseback~

Artist: Herbert Haseltine

Year Created: 1959

Location: Washington National Cathedral, Washington D.C.

 

 

~George Washington Monument~

Artist: Kim Corpany

Location: Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

~The Grant Memorial ~

Artist: Henry Shrady

Year begun: 1902 –Year completed: 1924

West side of the U.S. Capitol Washington D.C.

The platform for the Monument, made of Vermont marble. It is 10,700 pound, 17-foot-2-inch  high equestrian statue depicting Grant astride his war horse Cincinnati on a 22½-foot high marble pedestal.

~Major General James B. McPherson~

Artist: Louis Rebisso

Year: 1876

Type: Bronze

Location: Washington, D.C.

~General John A. Logan Monument~

Artist: Franklin Simmons

April 9, 1901

Location: Logan Circle, Washington, D.C.

~Major General George Henry Thomas~

Artist: John Quincy Adams Ward

Location: Thomas Circle, Washington, D.C.

Opening Date: November 19, 1879 

~Brevet Lt. General Winfield Scott~

Artist: Henry Kirke Brown

Opening Date:  1874

Location: Scott Circle, Washington D.C.

Artist: Henry Jackson Ellicott

Year: 1896

 Bronze

Location: Washington D.C.

 ~General Philip Sheridan~

Artist: Gutzon Borglum

Location: Sheridan Circle, Washington, D.C.

Opening date: November 25, 1908

~Major General George B. McClellan~

Artist: Frederick William MacMonnies

 Location: Intersection of California Street, Columbia Road and Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.

Opening Date: May 2, 1907

~General William Tecumseh Sherman Monument~

Artist: Carl Rohl-Smith

Location: Sherman Park, Washington D.C.

 

~SSgt. Reckless Monument ~

Artist: Jocelyn Russel 

Location: National Museum of the Marine Corps, Triangle, Virginia

To see my past article on SSgt. Rreckless, click Here.

Exciting News!

The Flying Shetlands is approaching it’s 1st anniversary and to celebrate, I will be hosting the first ever #EquineArtHour on Twitter! Jocelyn Russel will be doing a live question and and answer session on our first hour on May 31st at 4-5 pm EST, and we have other popular artists signing up for Q&A sessions also. More information will be coming shortly. Hope to see you all there!

I hope you all enjoyed seeing these equestrian statues! Remember both the men and horses that have fought for our freedom!

Shya

Huh? What? Well, I will believe that when I see flying Shetlands !