Iwo Jima groundbreaking held on August 19

A groundbreaking was held for the new Iwo Jima Memorial on Monday, August 19 at Memorial Park. Shown on the front row from left are Joseph Bentz, Patriot Excavating; Terry Thornsbury, Viridian Architectural Design, Inc.; Beth and Christopher Shortridge, fundraising organizers; Dan and Barb Drummond, Huntington Sheet Metal; Satin Lemon, volunteer; Seth Marshall, volunteer; Robb Fults, ACB General Contractors; Diann Parker, volunteer and Tim Eckert, Veterans Service Officer. Back row, Rick Stump, Viridian Architectural Design, Inc.; Mayor Richard Strick, Adam Cuttriss, City of Huntington, Steven Yoder, Huntington Parks & Recreation Department; Brett Hoopingarner, and Mark Parker, both volunteers.

A groundbreaking was held on Monday, August 19 at Memorial Park for the newest addition of an Iwo Jima memorial. Plans call for the memorial to be unveiled during Veterans Day on November 11.

Iwo Jima is an island in the Pacific that provided a place for an air campaign to be waged against mainland Japan. Nearly 7,000 Marines died on this island, making it the bloodiest day in Marine Corps history.

According to Christopher Shortridge, the organizer of the Iwo Jima memorial, “Over 16 million American veterans took part in World War II. Of those veterans there are less than 100,000 remaining today.”

“We have been raising money since 2016 and are finally breaking ground. The ceremony/unveiling will be held on Monday, November 11 at 11 a.m. at the Memorial Park site, at the top of Bartlett Street across from the pond,” said Shortridge

If anyone would like to get involved via a donation or in the events, which include a run/walk in November and our golf outings in June, please email shortridge_1@yahoo.com, and he will be happy to assist you.