St. Louis-based Tarlton a general contracting and construction management firm, served as construction manager on the first phase of a $6 million plan for a national memorial in the City of Grafton, Illinois.
Tarlton installed 12 bronze life-size statues − each weighing more than 500 pounds – directly upon the face of the 100-foot limestone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River in Grafton. Each statue depicts and honors members of the U.S. Army Provisional Ranger Group Second Battalion in their historic efforts to scale the precipice of Pointe du Hoc on the northwestern coast of Normandy, France, on D-Day, June 6, 1944. In a nod to the project’s authenticity, Tarlton also constructed a replica of a concrete German “pillbox” or bunker – a fortified stronghold used by German troops to maximize their line of sight − at the top of the Grafton bluffs. The logistical planning and efforts of the D-Day operation are widely considered a major turning point for the Allies in World War II.
Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow, a retired colonel in the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), first launched the idea to create the National Memorial of Military Ascent following family trips to Normandy, France. “Grafton’s iconic limestone bluffs inspired the idea that we could simulate the historic ascent by the U.S. Army Rangers on D-Day to create a national memorial that recognizes their bravery and dedication to service,” he noted. A public dedication of the memorial was held this past weekend on June 6.
