ARMY'S FIRST STATUE TO A NAMED ENLISTED SOLDIER WAS DEDICATED AT FORT LEWIS, WASHINGTON ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2006 Right >> Statue of Sergeant John Ordway, First Regiment of Infantry, 1803 Click Here for Closeup View The United States Army now has its first statue to a named enlisted soldier. Sergeant John Ordway was the first sergeant of the famed Lewis and Clark Corps of Volunteers for Northwest Discovery. This Army task force of two officers, three sergeants, twenty-three privates and two Army civilian employees explored the Missouri and Columbia Rivers systems for President Thomas Jefferson over two hundred years ago. The statue of Sergeant Ordway was dedicated on September 23, 2006, marking the 200th anniversary of the Corps of Discovery completing the mission by arriving at St. Louis, Missouri. The Sergeant Ordway statue is located in the newly constructed Memorial Park at Fort Lewis, Washington. It is sculpted, larger than life and cast in bronze, as are the co-located statue of his Commander, Captain Meriwether Lewis, and the statue of the Captain's dog, Seaman. These latter two statues were dedicated previously on September 30, 2005, the 75th anniversary of Fort Lewis being designated a permanent Army installation. Both Captain Lewis and Sergeant Ordway statues are presented in the authentic uniforms of the First Regiment of Infantry according to the Regiment's regulations of 1803. Since the Newfoundland dog has changed in physical appearance over the years, the Sculptor thoroughly researched the Newfoundland breed, circa 1803, to ensure an accurate presentation. Captain Lewis paid $20, one-half of his month's pay for the dog. Left << Statue of Captain Meriwether Lewis, First Regiment of Infantry, 1803, Commander, Corps of Discovery 1803-06, and his Newfoundland dog, Seaman Click Here for Closeup View The Fort Lewis Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) raised the funds to give the statues and supporting plaques to the Army. Its Captain Meriwether Lewis Memorial Park Committee, 2003-06, raised the funds and planned and purchased the statues and supporting plaques. The statues are the primary features of the Captain Meriwether Lewis Memorial Park located outside of the Fort Lewis Main Gate at Exit 120 of Interstate Highway I-5. A major attraction, the Memorial Park is open to the public and lighted during evening hours. Parking is available in the Post's Visitors Center parking lot located adjacent to the Memorial Park. Visitors are encouraged to visit the Captain Meriwether Lewis Memorial Park to view the statues and information plaques. The first plaque at the entrance to the Captain Meriwether Lewis Memorial Park is the Roster Plaque that has the ranks and names of the officers and enlistedmen and names of others that made the epic journey in 1804 to 1806. Please click here for more information. Main Page     Details     Contact Us     AUSA Ft. Lewis Chapter     E-mail Association of United States Army Fort Lewis Chapter AUSA PO Box 33181 Fort Lewis, WA 98433 Dar's By Design