Memphis City Councilman Brent Taylor has announced his intention to seek funding for a local memorial to World War II veterans. Presently, no permanent monument to World War II veterans exists anywhere in West Tennessee.
World War II veteran F.P. Dugan is working to raise funds for the installation of four bronze plaques at Veterans' Plaza in Overton Park. Taylor passed a resolution at last week's City Council meeting in recognition of the work Dugan has undertaken. He said he would ask the city to provide partial funding for the monument in this year's budget.
"I was surprised to learn that there's no memorial to the heroes of World War II in our community," Taylor remarked. He said Dugan's proposed monument is estimated to cost around $200,000. "I will request that the city budget include a grant to help pay a portion of the cost of this important monument," said Taylor.
Taylor said the monument will preserve the names of the more than 1,500 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines from Memphis and Shelby County who died in the combined wars from World War II to the Gulf War. He encouraged any individual or corporation wishing to financially support the memorial to contact him.
