The Flame of Hope Memorial was established in 1972 by volunteers from Attack Squadron 43 at Oceana Naval Air Station, who envisioned a memorial to commemorate Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) soldiers from the Vietnam War. It was constructed in partnership with the Virginia Beach Jaycees and formally dedicated on May 22, 1972. After many years of neglect during which the monument fell into disrepair, it was restored and re-dedicated in early 2020. The monument itself is a small plot of grassy lawn with sparsely planted shade trees; in the center is the flame itself. For birders, the draw here is that the monument backs up to a large weedy field on Oceana which is a breeding location for open-country breeders, including Grasshopper Sparrow and Horned Lark, both of which are rare and local breeding species in Virginia Beach. In 2020, this site also hosted Dickcissels. The best way to detect these birds is aurally, as the viewing across the field is quite distant and easily distorted by heat shimmer. Try early in the morning before traffic picks up, as the road noise later in the day can make it nearly impossible to hear birdsong. It is also possible to stand at the fence on the western side of the memorial and scoping across the field. The grounds of the memorial also give a good view of open sky, and the Horned Larks in particularly can sometimes be seen flying over along with aerialists like Chimney Swifts and Swallows. Mississippi Kite has also been reported at this location.
Accessibility: The Flame of Hope Memorial is located directly adjacent to NAS Oceana, on the west side of Oceana Boulevard. There is a free public parking lot here with space for about a dozen cars. Take care when pulling in or out, as Oceana is a very heavily trafficked road. There is a very short paved walkway around the memorial itself, and the rest of the plot is mostly mowed grass. To see birds in the field, a scope is recommended, as they are often quite distant. Please keep in mind that the area surrounding the memorial is an active military base, and exercise appropriate discretion when observing birds behind the fence. Also please note that this site is primarily a war memorial, and be sure to be respectful when birding here.
Owner/Manager: Virginia Beach Jaycees
eBird Hotspot: Flame of Hope Memorial
—Matt Anthony