The University of Texas at Arlington's military heritage dates to the early 20th century, when the University was Carlisle Military Academy. That tradition continues today, with the University recognized as one of the nation's top institutions for supporting veterans and military-connected students.
UT Arlington's enduring ties to the military, along with its commitment to community engagement, will come together this Memorial Day with an evening ceremony at the Memorial to the Fallen at Arlington's Veterans Park (3600 W. Arkansas Lane), a collaborative project between UTA and the city of Arlington. The event begins at 7 p.m. and will feature Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, a Marine veteran, and Congressman Roger Williams, who serves District 25 spanning Arlington and Fort Worth. The ceremony is free to the public.
The Memorial to the Fallen was dedicated on Veterans Day in November 2023 and honors 110 Arlington residents who died in service to the United States from World War I to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"UTA's ties to military service are a throughline in our 130-year history, and we continue to honor that legacy by making our University one of the nation's best for military-connected students and their families," UTA President Jennifer Cowley said. "This incredible partnership with the city of Arlington helps us pay tribute to those from our community who gave their lives in service of our country."
UTA has played a vital role in the memorial from its inception. As part of a research project, history students compiled the names of every service member from Arlington who died while serving during wartime. That list became the basis for an online database maintained by UTA's Department of History and Geography. Accessible via a QR code located at the Memorial to the Fallen, the database includes biographical details, photographs, newspaper clippings and other archival materials for each individual.
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The memorial includes at least five people with ties to UTA, including Col. Neel E. Kearby, a Medal of Honor recipient who attended the University from 1930 to 1931 when it was known as North Texas Agricultural College. An Air Force fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater during World War II, Kearby was shot down on March 5, 1944, during what would be his final combat mission. Also memorialized are Dennis Boyd Easley and Robert Perry Mills, two former UTA students who were killed while serving in the Vietnam War.
"For over a century, the city of Arlington and UTA have stood together in both war and peace," said Joseph Carpenter, a historian in UTA's Department of History and Geography and an Air Force veteran. "It's only fitting that UTA and the city have collaborated to create a permanent memorial and database honoring Arlington's fallen—some of whom were UTA students and faculty, and all of whom gave their lives for our freedom."
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The database shares stories of Arlington residents like Preston McKee, who served as the city's mayor at age 30 from April 11, 1914, to April 9, 1915, before enlisting in the Army during World War I. He was later stationed at Camp Travis in San Antonio, where he died of pneumonia.
The Memorial Day ceremony will include the laying of a wreath at the Memorial to the Fallen; Gold Star family members will place flowers inside the wreath in tribute to those lost in service. UTA's Maverick Battalion will present the colors, and the Arlington Community Band will perform patriotic music.
Clete McAlister, a UTA alum and Vietnam veteran who served as president of the Arlington Veterans Park Foundation, was the driving force behind the Memorial to the Fallen and UTA's involvement. He called the research conducted by UTA students—work that made the online database possible—invaluable.
"The Memorial to the Fallen, especially at sunset, offers a visually striking tribute to the memory of our lost service members," McAlister said. "Memorial Day at Veterans Park has become a must-attend event for our community, reflecting more than the century-long partnership between the city of Arlington and UTA."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation's top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
