Shangri-La's Patriotic 2nd Anniversary Celebration of “The Legacy of Liberty WW II Memorial Park”

Description

Memorial Day weekend 2026, Shangri-La President & CEO Barry Willingham and Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell will host a patriotic celebration of the two-year anniversary of the fabulous Legacy of Liberty WW II Memorial Park at the Shangri-La Resort. The celebration begins at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 22 at the park with a special performance of the National Anthem by Shangri-La member and longtime Broadway performer Ron Young accompanied by the talented Timmy Moore. Presentation of the Colors will be enhanced by the Grove Veterans Ritual Team. Complimentary food & beverages will be available. The park is located adjacent to The Battlefield Par 3 Course at Shangri-La Resort, directly across Highway 125 from Grand Lake Regional Airport on Grand Lake’s Monkey Island. There is no admission charge. Adjacent to The Battlefield Par 3 Course which is already an amazing tribute to heroes of The Greatest Generation, the resort opened The Legacy of Liberty Park on Memorial Day weekend 2024 as an additional tribute to Oklahoma’s incredible World War II Veterans. The park features 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 5” 38 caliber Naval Gun (which weighs an astonishing 47,500 pounds!), a Sherman Tank, M8 and M20 Armored Cars, a Howitzer, and a P-51D Mustang Fighter Plane. In all, a dozen exhibits 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. “We can’t do enough to honor all of our veterans – and we must never forget the Greatest Generation of brave men and women who fought without reservation to preserve and protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans,” said Shangri-La President & CEO Barry Willingham. “I appreciate everyone who attended our first anniversary celebration, and I hope everyone takes the opportunity to join us for our 2nd Anniversary Celebration to see this wonderful tribute to our heritage of American military strength and dedication,” Willingham concluded. The Legacy of Liberty Park honors veterans of all five branches of U.S. Military in a magnificent display of memorabilia, statues, vintage equipment, and tributes to Oklahoma heroes.