UNG dedicates Livingston Plaza

The University of North Georgia (UNG) honored one of America's most extraordinary military leaders on Nov. 3, dedicating the Major General James E. Livingston Medal of Honor Plaza overlooking the Gen. William "Lipp" Livsey Drill Field. The ceremony recognized a Marine who embodies the courage, character and lifelong leadership that define UNG and America's Corps.

Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, one of only 61 living Medal of Honor recipients, spent just one year in the Corps of Cadets in the 1950s. But that year, he often says, changed everything. It shaped how he thought, how he led and how he served. It set the foundation for the actions that would one day earn him the nation's highest military honor.

At age 85, Livingston returned to UNG riding in Willie Lewis, the university’s Jeep symbolizing determination, grit and the long line of leaders forged on the historic campus. He was accompanied by UNG President Michael P. Shannon and retired Army Lt. Gen. James Terry, senior vice president and superintendent of the Cadet Leadership Academy.

Shannon opened the ceremony by reminding the university community that moments like this define more than tradition, they define who we are.

"There are moments in the life of a university that transcend ceremony, moments when history, purpose and promise converge," Shannon said. "As we dedicate this plaza to Major General Livingston, we are not just naming a place. We are naming a standard. North Georgia has always shaped leaders of uncommon strength, built not for comfort but for courage."

Distinguished guests included alumnus Doug Collins, now secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; U.S. Reps. Andrew Clyde and Rich McCormick; University System of Georgia Regent Jim Syfan; and state Reps. Todd Jones and Will Wade.

On May 2, 1968, during the fierce battles of Dai Do and Dinh To in Vietnam, Livingston led from the front. He was wounded three times while rescuing Marines under heavy fire.

"Wounded a third time and unable to walk, he steadfastly remained in a dangerously exposed area … Only when assured of the safety of his men did he allow himself to be evacuated," reads Livingston's Medal of Honor citation.

Looking out across the Drill Field at the Corps in formation, Livingston reflected on how this place shaped the leader he became.

"The critical thinking and organizational skills I gained here, I have carried with me all of my life," he said. "Like those who came before me and afterward, I left here forever changed."

Shannon emphasized that Livingston's courage did not emerge on the battlefield — it began at North Georgia.

"Echo Six's courage under fire… was not born in the chaos of battle," Shannon said. "It was born here on this grass field. It was born in the formation of his character and the discipline of duty that defined him and, for 152 years, has defined North Georgia."

As the Military College of Georgia and the nation’s sole Army-only senior military college, UNG continues to play a vital national role: preparing leaders of character who will serve with integrity on the battlefield, in government, in boardrooms, and across every profession.

"Truth and wisdom are not abstract ideals," Shannon said. "They are daily commitments to do what is right when it's hard, to lead when it's unpopular and to serve when no one is watching."

With the dedication of Livingston Plaza, that commitment becomes part of the landscape. It is a visible reminder that every cadet who crosses the Drill Field is stepping into a lineage of service, courage and purpose.