Voi Memorial

Not to be confused with the ONI Memorial, located in ONI Alpha Site.

Survivors and other Marines begin the memorial at daybreak.

The Voi Memorial^[1]^[2] is a tribute to the soldiers of the United Nations Space Command who gave their lives during the 28-year Human-Covenant War.^[3]

The memorial

Held in east Africa, on a hillside in Voi on March 3, 2553, the Voi Memorial was set up by Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood. The memorial takes the form of the wing of a Pelican dropship, with names and photographs of people who were killed in defense of Earth and her colonies, an inscription stating the official end of the Human-Covenant War, and a small section devoted to John-117 who, in accordance with Office of Naval Intelligence policy, is listed as Missing In Action.

A number of survivors from the Battle of Installation 00 attended the memorial, including Gunnery Sergeants Stacker and Reynolds, Private First Class Chips Dubbo, and the current Arbiter, Thel 'Vadam, who was the only Sangheili to attend the memorial. Various other UNSC personnel were also present, including ONI Commander-in-Chief Admiral Margaret Parangosky, Captain Serin Osman,^[2] CPO Franklin Mendez, as well as the surviving SPARTAN-IIs.^[4]

Curiously, the UNSC Army was the only military branch of the UNSC not invited to the memorial ceremony by Admiral Hood, something Admiral Parangosky found "goddamn rude".^[2]

Transcript of the dedication

On a hillside near the Portal to the Ark, Marines and Naval personnel gather. Lord Hood removes his cap, and begins his speech.

Admiral Hood: "For us, the storm has passed... the war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure; sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight... our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten."

Admiral Hood puts his cap back on, and salutes.

Gunnery Sergeant Stacker: "Present arms!"

Seven Marines, standing in a line, draw their battle rifles and fire three volleys in unison, a three-volley salute to the fallen. The sound of the shots echo through Mount Kilimanjaro. The panorama changes as the Marines fire each shot.

{sunset}

Admiral Hood: (To Thel 'Vadam) "I remember how this war started. What your kind did to mine. I can't forgive you. But... (he holds out his hand) you have my thanks, for standing by him to the end."

Thel shakes Admiral Hood's hand.

Admiral Hood: "Hard to believe he's dead."

The Arbiter looks away, toward the Shadow of Intent, hovering silently in the sky.

Arbiter: "Were it so easy..."

Known deceased listed on memorial

Captain Jacob Keyes
Colonel James Ackerson
Lieutenant Commander Miranda Keyes
Master Chief SPARTAN-117 (believed dead but actually MIA)
Sergeant Major Avery Junior Johnson
Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds - (Picture seen on the memorial, but unconfirmed if this is actually him.)
Various unidentified soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.

Trivia

There are some photos on the memorial portraying Gunnery Sergeant Stacker as depicted in Halo: Combat Evolved and in Halo 2, although Stacker was the senior NCO conducting the memorial.
If one looks at a certain picture of a deceased Marine, it shows him in a dress uniform similar to that of the modern day U.S. Marine Corps. This indicates that the UNSC Marines wear a variety of different dress uniforms, as just before the Battle of Earth, Sergeant Johnson was seen wearing a dress uniform similar to that of the Navy, yet, in 2524, wore the aforementioned "dress blues".
For being a twenty-eight-year war against a highly superior enemy in terms of numbers and technology, there are surprisingly few photos and mementos on the monument (indicating relatively few losses), compared to the ONI memorial and even memorials dedicated historic wars on Earth (the Vietnam War memorial being a notable example). This may be because the memorial only includes mementos to those killed during the Battle of Installation 00. Fleet Admiral Hood mentions "those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return," which seems to indicate this. The monument may also simply be temporary until somthing more permanent can be constructed.
There are three Medals of Honor on the monument awarded to Miranda Keyes, Avery Johnson, and an unnamed Marine.
Originally, Halo 3 Art Director Marcus Lehto wanted the memorial to be a "giant marble monument", but Paul Russel suggested a more temporary monument would be more "tear jerking", as "only a couple of days" had passed from the events of the Ark.^[5] Later fiction, however, reveals that the survivors from the Ark returned in December 2552, meaning that over three months had passed from their return by the time the memorial ceremony was held.
There were more attendants to Lord Hood's speech at the memorial as depicted in Halo 3. Several Spartan-IIs, Spartan-IIIs, and ONI personal were present, though they could simply be off screen during the scene.

Gallery

Pictures, ribbons, flowers, insignias, and weapons to remember the dead.
Thel 'Vadam joins the Marines in the memorial at dusk.
Seven Marines fire their rifles as part of the memorial.
Lord Hood thanks Thel 'Vadam for standing by the Chief and humanity until the end.
Lord Hood and Thel 'Vadam shaking hands.
117.PNG

In memory to John-117. The insignia of his posthumously-awarded rank can be seen posted on the memorial below.