7-27-06

Walpole Veterans Creating New War Memorial

By Charles C. Bingaman, contributing Writer

            Walpole veteran Bruce Martin has been chosen by members of American Legion Post #77 to spearhead fund raising, research, design, and construction of a new war memorial to be dedicated on Memorial Day, 2007 on the Common.  He is being assisted by fellow veterans Clarence Houghton and Randall Daniels, and by project researchers Jan Martin, Shirley Swain, Betty Prentiss and Kay Long.

            “We want to have some of the World War II veterans that are still living know that we appreciate what they did,” Martin said this week.  “That’s why we’re pushing to have it completed by next Memorial Day.”

            Mr. Martin originally proposed a new memorial to all veterans since 1940 to the town Selectmen.  The Selectmen liked the idea, but they wanted to include all veterans from the Revolutionary War through to the present day.  They also said that they wanted to “dress up the Common” by refurbishing the two cannons that now flank the World War I Memorial.  With their suggestions and support, the committee is enthusiastically moving ahead with the project.

The monument itself will be a curving set of seven solemn slabs of Barre granite with names of veterans listed randomly based on dates of service.  It will replace the monument to World War I veterans that is currently on the Common and incorporate those names in the new monument.  The cannons currently flanking the WWI monument will be refurbished by Stu Bailey of Walpole and reset at the ends of the new monument.  The new monument will be roughly five feet tall with names high enough and large enough for easy reading.  Bill Sudsbury has volunteered his expertise in site preparation for the monument.

            Initial research revealed a list of veterans in the 1963 History of Walpole that forms the core of the research effort.  Martin has also obtained additional names from the State Adjutant General’s Office for the Korea and Vietnam conflicts.  The NH State Division of Archives also provided resource documents for the War of 1812.  The major gap to be filled is the period from 1975 to the present time.  “We need the townspeople to help us identify the names of veterans since the Vietnam War”, said Martin.  Eligibility for inclusion is based on two criteria; first, the individual joined the military from Walpole or, second, the person grew up in Walpole, North Walpole or Drewsville and attended Walpole schools (or Bellows Falls in the case of North Walpole students) and subsequently joined the military service.

The researchers have compiled over 800 names of Walpole men and women who served from the Revolution through the Viet Nam war.  Last week the list was posted on the town web site at www.walpolenh.us. While design of the monument is going forward at Rock of Ages in Barre, Vermont, Martin figures he has until Thanksgiving to get the list as complete and accurate as possible when the names will begin to be carved in the granite slabs.

Martin said that the total cost of the project will be approximately $100,000.  Fund raising is underway with nearly 20% of the goal reached to date.  He, Mr. Houghton and Randy Daniels will be concentrating on major gift pledges in the next month.  Meanwhile, contributions from the community are encouraged and will be needed to make the project a reality.  Walpoleans who wish to contribute information on veterans or funds should contact Mr. Martin at 756-3439, or e-mail him at jpmbam@verizon.net.             

Mr. Martin retired as a Colonel in 1985 after a 28-year Army career that included two tours in Viet Nam, two tours in Europe, and other stops in Kansas, Kentucky, the Pentagon and the Army War College.  Mr. Houghton served for more than three years in the Air Force in England and Wales, while Mr. Daniels served at sea on a radar destroyer with the US Navy from 1954-1957.

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