Four Washingtonians newly recognized at Medal of Honor Memorial
The Medal of Honor Memorial honors 95 Washingtonians who have earned the highest military decoration awarded to a member of the U.S. armed forces.
Those eligible for recognition on the Medal of Honor Memorial:
- Were born in Washington state,
- Entered military service in Washington state, or
- Have lived in Washington state at some point in their lives.
In January 2024, Department of Enterprise Services (DES) worked with the Everett-based engraver Pacific Coast Memorials to inscribe the names of four more honorees:
- Army Capt. Edward C. Allworth of Clark County
- Army Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Shurer II of Puyallup
- Marine Corps 1st Lt. James Elms Swett of Seattle
- Army Spc. Kyle J. White of Seattle
DES works with the state Department of Veterans Affairs to update the names listed on the memorial. This year's work corrects two long-ago oversights by adding the names of Capt. Allworth, who served in World War I, and 1st Lt. Swett, who served in World War II. Recognitions for Spc. White and Staff Sgt. Shurer, who served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, are also overdue.
Additions to this and other memorials have been necessary in the past. For example, the Capitol's Korean War Memorial was dedicated in 1993, bearing the names of Washingtonians known to have been killed in action during that conflict. Names were added to the memorial through 1999 as prior omissions came to light.
Starting in spring 2025, DES will offer a new tour of the Capitol's war memorials. But don't wait—come join a building or botanical tour or take a self-guided visit now. Learn more about tours.