This summer, the construction of a Medal of Honor Memorial and Honor Park will begin in coordination with the 250th anniversary celebration of the United States. Initiated by Wright Dunbar, Inc., the memorial project is designed to be a magnificent tribute to the approximately 41 local recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military award given for valor in combat. It also will honor the more than 110,000 Dayton Region veterans who put their lives at risk to protect our freedom every day.
Read more about this project and how you can support it in this Q&A by Karla Garrett Harshaw, a board member for Wright Dunbar, Inc., who is coordinating the project.
What is the Medal of Honor Memorial and Honor Park?
Many of the Medal of Honor recipients from our region, some of whom were conscientious objectors, lost their lives in war. They remind us of our military members’ valor and sacrifice. The park will be an enduring tribute to these courageous individuals and will help heighten residents’ familiarity with their significant efforts to protect us and keep our country secure.
The memorial will be the centerpiece of a Dayton city park that has been refreshed and renamed Honor Park to pay homage to veterans who live in Montgomery, Clark, Greene, Butler, Warren, Preble, Darke and Miami counties. Located at the intersection of Third Street Bridge and Edwin C. Moses Blvd., the park includes four World War I memorials and two Gold Star Mothers memorials that will be restored. Because Ohio has the sixth largest concentration of veterans in the country and the Dayton Region has the second highest concentration of veterans in the state, this is a fitting location for the memorial. With its close proximity to the Dayton VA Medical Center, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and other prominent local military affiliates, the memorial likely will spur increased visits to the area from around the country and the world that will have an impact on economic development efforts in the historic Wright Dunbar district.
Why is this legacy so important to our community?
As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.”
While we may take our own peaceful existence for granted, daily media coverage of conflicts abroad reminds us of the threats to our independence and self-governance. It is essential to honor the individuals who fight to keep us free. City data indicates that more than 127,000 motorists cross the Third Street Bridge each day, and Edwin C. Moses Blvd. is heavily trafficked. Once the monument is established, we expect it will prompt more passersby to stop and pay their respects to the veterans.
The Medal of Honor memorial will feature a granite base etched with recipients’ names and military slogans. An obelisk will be at the center of the memorial, surrounded by uplighting and flags. The memorial will be interactive so that visitors and researchers can access personalized bios of the honorees online through a QR code.
Airman First Class William (Bill) Pitsenbarger is among those being honored at the memorial. The Piqua native carried out 250 rescue missions in Vietnam before being mortally wounded when he refused to leave wounded soldiers during heavy fire. Other honorees include Army Specialist Fourth Class Joseph Guy LaPointe, Jr., a conscientious objector of the Vietnam War who trained to become a combat medic and lost his life using his body to protect wounded men he was treating; and Marine Corps Reserve Corporal Anthony (Tony) Michael Stein, an expert World War II sniper who demonstrated unbelievable heroism at Iwo Jima before he was killed in action on March 1, 1945. These are just a few of the selfless individuals who will be memorialized at the Honor Park.
The Medal of Honor Memorial has received grants from Dayton Foundation funds, including more than $50,000 from its discretionary grants program. How have gifts like these helped move the project forward?
Generous grants from The Dayton Foundation and other community organizations and donations from individuals are making it possible to bring this project to fruition.
As a volunteer initiative, our planning committee is especially grateful for the assistance provided by The Dayton Foundation. Our association with the Foundation as one of its component funds lends credibility to the project. Donors can rest assured that all contributions are being handled responsibly. This partnership also relieves our committee of some administrative duties, while Wright Dunbar guides the payment of expenses. In addition, our endowment fund through The Dayton Foundation will ensure long-term maintenance of the park and its upkeep with dignity.
How can the community support the Medal of Honor project?
An additional $350,000 is needed to complete the project. Thanks to volunteer fundraising efforts and a pending request for $350,000 from Ohio Capital Funds, the project has raised more than $1.2 million toward its $1.88 million goal. These additional funds are critical for the project, which will help us secure prevailing wages for contractors, refurbishment of existing memorials at the park and allow us to invest $300,000 of funds for long-term maintenance. We continue to welcome contributions from veteran-owned businesses, defense contractors, corporations and the public. Contributors will be listed at the park and online.
To support our efforts, you may send a check made payable to The Dayton Foundation at 1401 S. Main Street, Suite 100, Dayton, Ohio, 45409. Please note “Medal of Honor Memorial Campaign Fund #2231” in the memo line. You also can donate online at https://bit.ly/medal-of-honor-memorial or through Donor Express if you have a Dayton Foundation advised fund or Charitable Checking Account.SM
With your help, the Medal of Honor Memorial and Honor Park will provide an everlasting tribute to our veterans – honoring their commitment to preserving the safety and democracy of our nation while recognizing their gallantry and self-sacrifice to protect us all.