Defiance County War Memorial

The Defiance County War Memorial was established on the lawn of the County Courthouse in downtown Defiance to honor and recognize all Americans who have served their country as a member of the armed forces, and to pay special tribute to those who made the supreme sacrifice. The names of Defiance County wartime casualties, whose death was the direct result of enemy action, are engraved on the black granite tablets. The memorial spans 23 feet and weighs approximately 17,200 pounds. It was dedicated on July 2, 2000. The designer was Mark Homier of Homier’s Monumental in Defiance.

The bronze sculpture depicts a soldier kneeling in grief over a lost comrade-in-arms. He holds his friend’s identification tags (dog tags) in one hand. The nurse expresses her compassion and respect for the soldier by placing her hand on his shoulder.

The eternal flame is a symbol of the constant vigilance that America must maintain to ensure the freedom of its citizens. The poem on the base of the eternal flame reads,

“To the Veterans of Wartime and Peacetime
of the United States of America.
Thank you.
Thank you for your service
Yesterday, today and tomorrow
You are not forgotten by those of us
Who treasure our freedoms.
Your sacrifice, and that of your loved ones,
is still very much appreciated.”
– Anonymous Author

In 2007, the War Memorial Perpetual Care Committee voted to add an additional black granite panel to the Memorial entitled Global War. The title of the panel was chosen to reflect the international mission of our military. The name of Defiance County Veterans who are killed in action, missing in action, or are executed prisoners of war will be engraved on this new panel. When future names are added to the panel, it will be engraved with the name of the veteran, the place of death, and the year of death. The Panel was funded by donations from V.F.W. Post #3360 of Defiance, Post #5665 of Sherwood, and D.A.V. Chapter 36 of Defiance.

The first name engraved on the panel is that of Sgt. David Michael Hierholzer, who was killed in action while participating in War on Terrorism/Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan on July 24, 2006. Sgt. “Harry” Hierholzer was born May 6, 1979, in Defiance, the son of David G. and Christine Hierholzer. He has two sisters, Melanie Blade and Dawn Ford. He served with U.S. Army 32nd Infantry Regiment, of the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York. He is buried in the Lone Oak Cemetery in Lewisburg, Tennessee.

For more information on the memorial, contact

Defiance County Veterans Office
1300 East Second Street
Suite 102
Defiance, Ohio 43512
P: (419) 782-6861
F: (419) 782-6713

The design of the monument is copyright protected.

List of Defiance County casualties engraved on the memorial: