MONKEY ISLAND, OKLAHOMA – When Shangri-La Resort, Oklahoma’s premier waterfront golf and outdoor recreation destination, opened The Battlefield Par 3 Course in 2023 with prominent tributes honoring veterans and fallen heroes of World War II, owner Eddy Gibbs and his team promised more was to come. This Memorial Day Weekend, Shangri-La will unveil The Legacy of Liberty Park, a walk-through exhibit park featuring historical commemorations and an unforgettable collection of authentic World War II-era military equipment, vehicle, weaponry, and aircraft.
The Grand Opening of the open-air Legacy of Liberty Park is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 24, providing a fitting and poignant way to kick off the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The public is welcome to attend this moving, patriotic event.
“I hope everyone will plan to join us for the opening of this incredible park,” said Barry Willingham, President and CEO of Shangri-La Resort. “We can’t do enough to honor the Greatest Generation of brave men and women who fought without reservation to preserve and protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. I hope many will plan to join us for this wonderful celebration of our heritage of American military strength and dedication.”
The new outdoor Legacy of Liberty venue is visible from the closing stretch of the picturesque 18-hole Battlefield course, which features curated monuments on each of its tee boxes that pay tribute to a military serviceperson from Oklahoma who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States during World War II.
The park will feature a life-size exact replica of the statue of Marines raising the American flag on Iwo Jima, a special memorial honoring the legendary Native American Code Talkers, and a variety of original World War II equipment – a Jeep, an ambulance, both a Higgins Boat and a DUK Boat, a five-inch, 38-caliber Naval Gun (which weighs an astonishing 47,500 pounds), a Sherman Tank, M8 and M20 Armored Cars, and a P-51D Mustang Fighter Plane.
In all, a dozen exhibits will honor specific Oklahoma heroes of World War II – including the names of the Oklahoma heroes who utilized this equipment to protect the American way of life.
The May 24th Grand Opening event will include food, beverages, and a rousing dedication ceremony. Attendees will receive a commemorative coin memorializing the park and honoring World War II veterans.
The Legacy of Liberty Park pays tribute to veterans of all five branches of U.S. Military. The park is located adjacent to The Battlefield Par 3 Course at Shangri-La, directly across Highway 125 from Grand Lake Regional Airport on Grand Lake’s Monkey Island.
Visit shangrilaok.com for more information.
About Shangri-La Resort
Shangri-La Resort, located on northeastern Oklahoma’s 46,500-acre Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees, is the ultimate destination for relaxation and both indoor and outdoor activities. The resort hotel offers 9,000 square feet of versatile meeting and conference space, as well as a medical spa, steam room, sauna, fitness center, an indoor pool, and an expansive 6,500-square-foot outdoor pool with hot tub, tanning ledge, and splash pad. The resort offers six distinct dining and cocktails venues to complete an unforgettable 45-hole golf destination and retreat for families, groups, corporate and association retreats, and weddings.
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