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Dedicated on Memorial Day, 1994, this statue on a marble base commemorates the life and heroic military service of Lt. Alexander Ramsay “Sandy” Nininger. The first Medal of Honor recipient of World War II, Nininger grew up in Ft. Lauderdale.
The bronze casting, the work of sculptor Enzo Gallo, depicts Lt. Nininger as he might have appeared just prior to his death on January 12, 1942. Part of General MacArthur’s defensive force in the Philippines at the start of WWII, Nininger voluntarily attached himself to a company then in combat. The official citation reads in part: “…[Nininger] repeatedly forced his way to and into the hostile position., Though exposed to heavy enemy fire, he continued to attack with rifle and handgrenades and succeeded in destroying several enemy groups…”
Other recognition of Nininger in the Ft. Lauderdale community includes Nininger Drive, Nininger AmVets Post #3, and the Nininger Army Reserve Center.
The mosaic tile mural behind the statue is dedicated to all veterans and the names of over 300 Broward war dead are inscribed in special bricks surrounding the marble base.
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