Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a day to remember those who gave their lives in defense of our country.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum is grateful to our veterans and there are 57 Distinguished Members, 15 Outstanding Americans, and three Medal of Courage recipients who have wrestled and served their country.
We want to say thank you to our veterans, and encourage you to thank them, for their service and for all that they have sacrificed.
The relationship between the Armed Forces and the sport of wrestling dates back thousands of years.
From the early days of mankind to the modern soldier, wrestling, also known as combative arms by the military, has been a big part of battle and modern-day training.
Our Board of Governors made it a priority in the renovation of the museum to include “Glory Beyond the Sport - Wrestling and the Military,” which recognizes the contributions of wrestlers in the military.
Because of COVID-19, the Hall of Fame remains closed at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience and will open as soon as we are able to do so safely.
The Hall of Fame produced “Glory Beyond the Sport: Wrestling and the Military,” a book that chronicles some of our nation’s greatest military leaders who made their mark on mankind’s oldest and greatest sport, including:President Theodore Roosevelt, who wrestled and was instrumental in bringing wrestling to the military academies.
Maryland Wrestling's Thomas R. Norris, who was presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest personal military award for valor.
James McCloughan, who presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest personal military award for valor.
Major General Kenneth C. Leuer, the father of the modern US Army Rangers, was a two-time All-American and NCAA champion for Iowa Wrestling.
Major Doug Zembiec, a two-time New Mexico state high school wrestling champion and an All-American for Navy Wrestling, who died while commanding a raid on insurgent forces in Baghdad, Iraq. It was his fourth tour in the Middle East.
CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of Glory Beyond the Sport: Wrestling and the Military for $15 with free shipping/handling.
Our Mission: To honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations