Phantom Blooper
02-24-08, 05:18 AM
Memorials are in the works
HEATHER GALE ("")
2008-02-24 00:29:00
DAILY NEWS STAFF
<!-- Video goes here -->A nearly decade-old dream is expected to move a step closer to reality this spring.
Larry Fitzpatrick and Lee and Pat Walker have worked for more than a decade to build a memorial to Vietnam War veterans in Onslow County.
They plan to break ground in April.
The Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial will honor those who were killed in the Vietnam War and recognize the more than 2 million who served in Vietnam, as well as the prisoners of war, those missing in action and the more than 300,000 wounded there.
Once completed, the memorial, dedicated to all branches of the military, will have a gazebo-like structure surrounded by lighted etched-glass panels and gardens.
The final number of names that will be engraved on the glass panel is 58,229.
Pat Walker, secretary of the Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation, said that in 1999, she, her husband and Fitzpatrick were having dinner one night and thought creating a memorial would be a great idea.
"We have been working nonstop ever since," Walker said. "So many people were affected by the Vietnam War, not just the military people over there, and when the soldiers and Marines came back from the war, they were mistreated. We want to this project to be a thank-you for the military and to counteract the previous adverse reaction."
The total estimated cost of the project is said to be around $4 million, and the group has raised $1.3 million.
The entire project is estimated to be completed within two years of the start date, depending on funds, Walker said.
"We will do whatever we can and think of to raise money," Walker said. "The city and county have pledged money to the memorial, as well as banks and private donors."
The foundation has raffled an airplane and a motor boat and has held bake sales, concerts and even a motorcycle run, Walker said.
Kenji Horn, board member for the foundation, said the motorcycle run was the largest fundraiser they have held to date.
"We have raised close to $10,000 and had more than 700 people in attendance," he said. "The tentative date for the next motorcycle run is Sept. 27."
Walker said the memorial will offer closure for a lot of local veterans and will hopefully draw an enormous number of visitors to Onslow County.
"When we talk to the veterans, they are disappointed that this project wasn't completed or thought of sooner," she said. "Our foundation has donated an awful lot of time, energy and money to get this project done."
Once the project is completed, Walker said the foundation will present the memorial to Camp Lejeune as a gift.
The entire project will be completed in four phases. Walker said that each phase will enhance the previous one and offer more for visitors to enjoy.
During phase one, the site work, extra parking, the actual memorial and initial landscaping will be completed.
Phase two will consist of providing a connector to the Museum of the Marine, the gazebo's fountain and fountain enclosure and a paved memorial walk.
Nearing the end of the project, a bridge will be built over the stream, a visitor center will be erected and, finally, an amphitheater will be built.
Contact Heather Gale at hgale@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8464. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com (http://www.jdnews.com).
Artist's rendering: The Marines' Memorial to the Navy Corpsmen is dedicated to all the corpsmen who served in all wars with the Marines. The group that is heading up the project, slated to start in November, is also named the Marine
<SCRIPT src="http://widgets.freedom.com/video/?bu=jdn&aid=55170" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>
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HEATHER GALE ("")
2008-02-24 00:29:00
DAILY NEWS STAFF
<!-- Video goes here -->A nearly decade-old dream is expected to move a step closer to reality this spring.
Larry Fitzpatrick and Lee and Pat Walker have worked for more than a decade to build a memorial to Vietnam War veterans in Onslow County.
They plan to break ground in April.
The Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial will honor those who were killed in the Vietnam War and recognize the more than 2 million who served in Vietnam, as well as the prisoners of war, those missing in action and the more than 300,000 wounded there.
Once completed, the memorial, dedicated to all branches of the military, will have a gazebo-like structure surrounded by lighted etched-glass panels and gardens.
The final number of names that will be engraved on the glass panel is 58,229.
Pat Walker, secretary of the Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation, said that in 1999, she, her husband and Fitzpatrick were having dinner one night and thought creating a memorial would be a great idea.
"We have been working nonstop ever since," Walker said. "So many people were affected by the Vietnam War, not just the military people over there, and when the soldiers and Marines came back from the war, they were mistreated. We want to this project to be a thank-you for the military and to counteract the previous adverse reaction."
The total estimated cost of the project is said to be around $4 million, and the group has raised $1.3 million.
The entire project is estimated to be completed within two years of the start date, depending on funds, Walker said.
"We will do whatever we can and think of to raise money," Walker said. "The city and county have pledged money to the memorial, as well as banks and private donors."
The foundation has raffled an airplane and a motor boat and has held bake sales, concerts and even a motorcycle run, Walker said.
Kenji Horn, board member for the foundation, said the motorcycle run was the largest fundraiser they have held to date.
"We have raised close to $10,000 and had more than 700 people in attendance," he said. "The tentative date for the next motorcycle run is Sept. 27."
Walker said the memorial will offer closure for a lot of local veterans and will hopefully draw an enormous number of visitors to Onslow County.
"When we talk to the veterans, they are disappointed that this project wasn't completed or thought of sooner," she said. "Our foundation has donated an awful lot of time, energy and money to get this project done."
Once the project is completed, Walker said the foundation will present the memorial to Camp Lejeune as a gift.
The entire project will be completed in four phases. Walker said that each phase will enhance the previous one and offer more for visitors to enjoy.
During phase one, the site work, extra parking, the actual memorial and initial landscaping will be completed.
Phase two will consist of providing a connector to the Museum of the Marine, the gazebo's fountain and fountain enclosure and a paved memorial walk.
Nearing the end of the project, a bridge will be built over the stream, a visitor center will be erected and, finally, an amphitheater will be built.
Contact Heather Gale at hgale@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8464. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com (http://www.jdnews.com).
Artist's rendering: The Marines' Memorial to the Navy Corpsmen is dedicated to all the corpsmen who served in all wars with the Marines. The group that is heading up the project, slated to start in November, is also named the Marine
<SCRIPT src="http://widgets.freedom.com/video/?bu=jdn&aid=55170" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>
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