thedrifter
01-12-09, 07:01 AM
Brazoria County adding to military tributes
By John Lowman
The Facts
Published January 12, 2009
ANGLETON — The rectangle of red that will fly over Jimmy Jackson’s yard is not just a piece of cloth in the same way the small white strips lining his fences are more than hunks of wood.
They honor those who gave their lives in the name of freedom, but also show respect for all those who have worn a U.S. military uniform, area veterans say.
“These things show the people are behind us,” said Angleton veteran Charlie Meazles, who served with the U.S. Marines from 1952-57. “They support the military in the way that it should be done. It also honors the boys who went over there and made the supreme sacrifice for their country.”
Meazles has helped Jackson place the more than 4,000 small, white crosses that line his fence, bearing the names of American service members killed in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. He plans to be at Jackson’s home off CR 874 in Angleton at 10 a.m. Saturday when a flagpole and military Killed In Action flag are dedicated.
While Jackson’s tribute began as a one-man mission, the dedication of two government-sponsored memorials for Brazoria County veterans are in the formative stages.
Donations are being collected for the Brazoria County Wall of Honor, which will be erected at the northwest corner of the county courthouse in Angleton. A memorial at the south end of the Lake Jackson Civic Center still is in the planning stages, and designs could be presented to City Council within 60 days.
The number of memorials, and people’s dedication to them, is a tribute not only to servicemen and women, but to the communities in the area, Military Moms and Wives of Brazoria County founder Mary Moreno said.
“It goes to show that Brazoria County is very, very patriotic,” she said. “We have not backed down from that patriotism since the war (on terror) started and that’s one of the things that makes our county so wonderful. We support our American heroes.”
A BIG DEAL
Members of the Military Moms, Brazoria County Honor Guard, Brazoria County Cavalry, American Legion Post 835 and American Legion Post 241 will be at the memorial fence off CR 874 in Angleton, said Jimmy Jackson’s wife, Mary Jackson.
“It started out as a little 15-minute thing but it’s turned into a big deal,” she said of Saturday’s event.
Hurricane Ike flattened about two-thirds of the fence, but volunteers helped restore the sections.
“Most of the fence is back up,” she said.
Whether a fence in a residential area, a memorial at the courthouse or one constructed by a city, each is appreciated by veterans, Meazles said.
“It shows the people in our county have patriotism along with the veterans,” he said. “It’s a nice gesture to show they appreciate us.”
LAKE JACKSON MEMORIAL
In Lake Jackson, council members settled on a dozen pieces of stone in remembrance of the 12 major conflicts involving the United States, Assistant City Manager Modesto Mundo said. The preliminary plan includes stones in a circular pattern surrounding a central memorial. A large brick wall and benches also are part of the preliminary design sent to architects.
“The architect is still working on it and is getting some estimates,” Mundo said. “We should have that back to council sometime in the next two months.”
Cost is estimated at more than $100,000, he said. The city could spread the project over a two-year period if council members approve a plan. Public input has been positive.
“We’re trying to get a feel for how much it will cost since we don’t have a price tag yet,” he said. “We may go out for donations, but we can’t do that until we get costs.”
WALL OF HONOR
Although the monetary response hasn’t been overwhelming for the county’s memorial, thanks and input from the community is good, said Sonya Broadway of the Brazoria County Veterans Services office.
The county’s Wall of Honor will cost about $500,000, but less than 3 percent of that money has been collected. Brazoria County Veterans Services has T-shirts for sale at $10 each, is accepting tax-deductible donations and eventually will offer brick pavers, although no prices for that are set.
Plans are under way to place a lighted mockup of the eventual 6-foot-tall, 6-foot-wide black granite memorial at the American Legion Post on Highway 288-B in Angleton by the end of the month, Brazoria County Veterans Services spokeswoman Sonya Broadway said.
“We want to show people what it will look like,” she said.
The county memorial will include U.S., Texas and Prisoner of War flags and a pair of life-sized bronze statues on granite pedestals. One will be of a soldier and the other a Gold Star mother reflecting on the loss of her child, said Arthur Velasquez, County Judge Joe King’s chief administrator.
At the center of a 40-foot circle will be a three-dimensional granite star encircled by 16 bands of 24-inch-wide black granite tiles, laser-etched with photo reproductions of battle scenes, according to information from the Veterans Services office.
A dozen 3-foot-tall black granite panels will encircle the star, six representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines, and the other six displaying the names of all Brazoria County military men and women killed in conflict.
Names on the current Wall of Honor on the first floor of the Brazoria County Courthouse will be transferred to the new wall and the old tiles will be retired, Velasquez said.
“Everybody’s excited about the new Wall of Honor,” he said. “Once we get it here, it will be a real nice addition to our courthouse.”
John Lowman covers Brazoria County for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 849-8581.
---
Brazoria County Wall of Honor
How you can help fund the county’s
tribute to its native sons:
Tax-deductible
donations
Mail checks
stating “Wall of Honor” on the memo line to:
Community Foundation of Brazoria County
P.O. Box 2392
Angleton, TX
77516
GET THE T-SHIRT
T-shirts are on sale for $10 at the Veterans Services Office, County Courthouse East Annex in Angleton
PAVERS COMING
Pavers will be sold, but plans have not been finalized
Ellie
By John Lowman
The Facts
Published January 12, 2009
ANGLETON — The rectangle of red that will fly over Jimmy Jackson’s yard is not just a piece of cloth in the same way the small white strips lining his fences are more than hunks of wood.
They honor those who gave their lives in the name of freedom, but also show respect for all those who have worn a U.S. military uniform, area veterans say.
“These things show the people are behind us,” said Angleton veteran Charlie Meazles, who served with the U.S. Marines from 1952-57. “They support the military in the way that it should be done. It also honors the boys who went over there and made the supreme sacrifice for their country.”
Meazles has helped Jackson place the more than 4,000 small, white crosses that line his fence, bearing the names of American service members killed in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. He plans to be at Jackson’s home off CR 874 in Angleton at 10 a.m. Saturday when a flagpole and military Killed In Action flag are dedicated.
While Jackson’s tribute began as a one-man mission, the dedication of two government-sponsored memorials for Brazoria County veterans are in the formative stages.
Donations are being collected for the Brazoria County Wall of Honor, which will be erected at the northwest corner of the county courthouse in Angleton. A memorial at the south end of the Lake Jackson Civic Center still is in the planning stages, and designs could be presented to City Council within 60 days.
The number of memorials, and people’s dedication to them, is a tribute not only to servicemen and women, but to the communities in the area, Military Moms and Wives of Brazoria County founder Mary Moreno said.
“It goes to show that Brazoria County is very, very patriotic,” she said. “We have not backed down from that patriotism since the war (on terror) started and that’s one of the things that makes our county so wonderful. We support our American heroes.”
A BIG DEAL
Members of the Military Moms, Brazoria County Honor Guard, Brazoria County Cavalry, American Legion Post 835 and American Legion Post 241 will be at the memorial fence off CR 874 in Angleton, said Jimmy Jackson’s wife, Mary Jackson.
“It started out as a little 15-minute thing but it’s turned into a big deal,” she said of Saturday’s event.
Hurricane Ike flattened about two-thirds of the fence, but volunteers helped restore the sections.
“Most of the fence is back up,” she said.
Whether a fence in a residential area, a memorial at the courthouse or one constructed by a city, each is appreciated by veterans, Meazles said.
“It shows the people in our county have patriotism along with the veterans,” he said. “It’s a nice gesture to show they appreciate us.”
LAKE JACKSON MEMORIAL
In Lake Jackson, council members settled on a dozen pieces of stone in remembrance of the 12 major conflicts involving the United States, Assistant City Manager Modesto Mundo said. The preliminary plan includes stones in a circular pattern surrounding a central memorial. A large brick wall and benches also are part of the preliminary design sent to architects.
“The architect is still working on it and is getting some estimates,” Mundo said. “We should have that back to council sometime in the next two months.”
Cost is estimated at more than $100,000, he said. The city could spread the project over a two-year period if council members approve a plan. Public input has been positive.
“We’re trying to get a feel for how much it will cost since we don’t have a price tag yet,” he said. “We may go out for donations, but we can’t do that until we get costs.”
WALL OF HONOR
Although the monetary response hasn’t been overwhelming for the county’s memorial, thanks and input from the community is good, said Sonya Broadway of the Brazoria County Veterans Services office.
The county’s Wall of Honor will cost about $500,000, but less than 3 percent of that money has been collected. Brazoria County Veterans Services has T-shirts for sale at $10 each, is accepting tax-deductible donations and eventually will offer brick pavers, although no prices for that are set.
Plans are under way to place a lighted mockup of the eventual 6-foot-tall, 6-foot-wide black granite memorial at the American Legion Post on Highway 288-B in Angleton by the end of the month, Brazoria County Veterans Services spokeswoman Sonya Broadway said.
“We want to show people what it will look like,” she said.
The county memorial will include U.S., Texas and Prisoner of War flags and a pair of life-sized bronze statues on granite pedestals. One will be of a soldier and the other a Gold Star mother reflecting on the loss of her child, said Arthur Velasquez, County Judge Joe King’s chief administrator.
At the center of a 40-foot circle will be a three-dimensional granite star encircled by 16 bands of 24-inch-wide black granite tiles, laser-etched with photo reproductions of battle scenes, according to information from the Veterans Services office.
A dozen 3-foot-tall black granite panels will encircle the star, six representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines, and the other six displaying the names of all Brazoria County military men and women killed in conflict.
Names on the current Wall of Honor on the first floor of the Brazoria County Courthouse will be transferred to the new wall and the old tiles will be retired, Velasquez said.
“Everybody’s excited about the new Wall of Honor,” he said. “Once we get it here, it will be a real nice addition to our courthouse.”
John Lowman covers Brazoria County for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 849-8581.
---
Brazoria County Wall of Honor
How you can help fund the county’s
tribute to its native sons:
Tax-deductible
donations
Mail checks
stating “Wall of Honor” on the memo line to:
Community Foundation of Brazoria County
P.O. Box 2392
Angleton, TX
77516
GET THE T-SHIRT
T-shirts are on sale for $10 at the Veterans Services Office, County Courthouse East Annex in Angleton
PAVERS COMING
Pavers will be sold, but plans have not been finalized
Ellie