Combat veterans’ memorial planned for town hall

Aerial view of planned combat veterans’ memorial. | LandPlan South

BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Historical Society president Carolyn Lomas and Jim McLean, also a member of the Society presented information at the town council meeting on Monday night about a proposed combat veteran memorial to be erected in front of the town hall.

Lomas said the vision for the memorial dates back to the 2015 Historical Society’s Memorial Day program.

A rendering of the memorial prepared by LandPlan South shows the monument surrounded by an American flag and six smaller service flags representing the six branches of the armed forces. Lomas said the smaller flags could be removed and the poles stored for certain occasions, or could be left up year-round.

McLean said the monument would cost about $260,000. He said he was not sure what the dimensions of the monument would be.

“For an individual to have his/her name engraved on the monument, they must have served in a main conflict beginning with World War I,” McLean said, “and they must have served on foreign soil in a war zone. The combat veterans can be living or dead. They must also have been Blythewood citizens.”

“We think it’s very important that we honor the men and women who have served,” Lomas said.

“What we’re asking for,” McLean told council, “is your approval of the site for the monument location and your support in helping us fund this monument to honor our combat veterans.”

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