Veteran’s monument dedicated
It marked the end of an eight-year endeavor started by Ret. Lt. Col. Bill Meiers while he was the Post Commander for post 229 to honor those who died while serving the U.S.
The idea for the monument started when former post Commander Don Spencer was asked by the city of Madison to put a flagpole in the park. Spencer then asked the post’s new member Meiers to get a flagpole.
Meiers got a flag pole and then he wanted to build a Vietnam Memorial, but, Dow said, after Meiers died they thought it would be a good idea to build a monument that would recognize all of those who had given their life for their country.
Meiers died on June 21, 2007 and the monument is dedicated in his honor. His wife Judy Meiers helped unveil the monument on Tuesday.
The Wall of Heroes List the names of those who died in WWI, WWII, the Vietnam War, and the Middle East Conflicts, from the Madison area.
There is a plaque for the Korean Conflict that reads “We honor those who served and died” because nobody from Madison died in Korea.
“This monument does not cover the city limits of Madison.” Carl Dow, Post Commander of 229 said. “It covers all the men who made the ultimate sacrifice in combat.”
The monument honors those who were listed as killed in action and those who were listed as dying from their wounds, which is different than some other monuments, but Dow feels that if a soldier died of wounds he received in combat it doesn’t matter if they died on the battle field or in a hospital 30 minutes later.
It took a total of eight years to finish this project. Post 229 raised all the money to pay for the monument in full before it was put into the ground.
Many members from the community made personal donations. Companies offered their services and money as well. But, most of the money came from selling t-shirts during the annual Trail of Tears motorcycle ride that runs through Madison.
Carl Dow, Post Commander of 229Guest speakers included Ret. Gen. Bob Drolet, and Mayor Paul Finley. The Liberty Middle School Band provided the music for the occasion.
Those listed on the Wall of Heroes are :
Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients: 1 Lt. Cecil H. Bolton, S/Sgt. Paul L. Bolden
WWI: Pvt. James Burks, Pfc. Will Davis, Pvt. Dennis Fulks, Pfc. Jim Kirby, Sgt. Thomas Allen Lesky, Cpl. James Fletcher Stuart
WWII: Pvt. Paul Jones Ennis, Pvt. James Floyd Ivy, Sgt. William Harry Landers, S/Sgt. Herschel Herbert McCann, Seaman Thomas Andrew Stewart, Capt. Jesse Ollie Wikle Jr.
Vietnam War: 1 Lt. Raymond Horace James Jr., Lance Cpl. Roy Lee Moore, Spec 5. Robert Thomas Nelson, Sgt. Willie Lewis Wallace, 1 Lt. Benjamin Gareth Wells
Middle East Conflicts: War on Terrorism: Pvt. E-2, Michael Paul Bridges.
