Construction Begins on New War Memorials

 

 – Allison Goldsberry

Construction has begun on three new war memorials located directly behind the World War II Memorial on Winthrop Street on land provided by Temple Shalom.

A memorial column will commemorate WWII vets that live in Medford now but not at the time of the war along with vets from the Desert Storm and Iraq conflicts.  Two other memorials will honors veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars.

According to Mayor Michael McGlynn, a path from the current memorial will lead to a circular walkway with the memorial column in the center.  The Vietnam War Memorial, designed with respect to the well-known Washington, DC memorial, will be further up another path to the right.  The Korean War Memorial will be off another path to the left, rectangular in shape with a bench parallel to it, a nod to the famed 38th parallel.

Mayor McGlynn said the memorials will cost $500,000.  The City Council recently approved $295,000 for the project.  The Mayor is holding a golf tournament on August 8 to help raise money and the city is also accepting donations.

A dedication for the memorials is planned for October.