Veterans gathered in Chillicothe today for the dedication of a new memorial honoring American soldiers from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror.
The $325,000 Chillicothe Veterans Memorial is on a triangular plot of land, donated by the resident of an adjacent property.
Memorial project chairman and Vietnam veteran Tom Harms says the memorial honors all veterans, living and deceased, and the soldiers who are still fighting:
“I know they’re fighting over there and I feel for them. I appreciate everything they’re doing, and this memorial will be here when they get back,” Harms said.
Harms says the aim is give younger generations a reminder of the contributions soldiers have made throughout America's history.
The Chillicothe Veteran’s Memorial Project began collecting donations a year ago. Chillicothe Mayor Doug Crew says he was skeptical at first when he heard about the group's plans for an elaborate monument of Washington-proportions.
“And I think they would acknowledge it has been a lot of work, but yet they’ve persevered and just got a fantastic result of all their work," Crew said. "I think it’s going to be second to none in terms of veteran’s memorials.”
The star-shaped foundation and granite have been laid on memorial site that’s due to be finished in the Spring, with a full dedication on July 4th.
The completed monument will include statues of two soldiers, a Revolutionary War Soldier and a modern-day Navy Seal, saluting one another. Harms says all of the materials and labor used in the construction are from local sources.