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.

𝐺𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝐵𝑒𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡: 𝑊𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦 explores the relationship between the Armed Forces and wrestling and is dedicated to all those wrestlers who have served their country.

𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: http://ebay.to/3mkU3vS

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.

The book "Glory Beyond the Sport" 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, and Maryland wrestling's Thomas R. Norris, who was presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest personal military award for valor.

Oklahoma State wrestling's David “Buddy” Arndt, who won NCAA championships before and after World War II and James McCloughan, who was 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 and 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.