ades . ▁It ▁was ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁by ▁av iation ▁enthus iast s ▁who ▁wanted ▁a ▁final ▁rest ing ▁place ▁for ▁pil ots , ▁mechan ics , ▁and ▁other ▁pione ers ▁of ▁flight . ▁ ▁D edic ated ▁to ▁the ▁hon ored ▁dead ▁of ▁American ▁av iation ▁on ▁the ▁ 5 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁power ed ▁flight , ▁December ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁by ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Ira ▁C . ▁E aker ▁US AF ▁( ret ired ). ▁B ene ath ▁the ▁mem orial ▁table ts ▁in ▁this ▁sacred ▁portal ▁rest ▁the ▁cre m ated ▁remains ▁of ▁famous ▁fly ers ▁who ▁contributed ▁so ▁much ▁to ▁the ▁history ▁and ▁development ▁of ▁av iation . ▁The ▁bronze ▁pla ques ▁upon ▁the ▁mar ble ▁walls ▁memor ialize ▁bel oved ▁Americans ▁who ▁devoted ▁their ▁lives ▁to ▁the ▁adv ancement ▁of ▁the ▁air ▁age . ▁Admin ister ed ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁the ▁Brook ins – L ah m – W right ▁Aer onaut ical ▁Foundation , ▁this ▁shr ine ▁stands ▁as ▁a ▁last ing ▁t ribute . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁it ▁was ▁red edic ated ▁by ▁Dr . ▁Tom ▁Cr ouch , ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Aer onaut ics ▁Department ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Air ▁and ▁Space ▁Museum ▁of ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Institution . ▁ ▁Bur ial s ▁Ber tr and ▁Bl anch ard ▁Ac osta ▁( 1 8 9 5 – 1 9