CLARK COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Despite 30-degree weather, hundreds of Clark County residents gathered to honor local heroes who never made it home from World War II and the Korean War at the dedication of a new memorial on Tuesday.
The memorial honors 96 Clark County residents who were killed in action — 77 in World War II and 19 in Korea, according Dee Birks with the Clark County Veterans Council.
"There were 96 Clark Countians that got killed in action. They gave their lives for our country combined in World War 2 and Korea," Birks said.
This project has been decades in the making, representing a dream that started more than 20 years ago. Organizers say it took years of fundraising, community support and determination to bring it to life.
"Nobody wants to go to war. Nobody. But you go where the government tells you to go and these gentlemen wrote the check that the government cashed and unfortunately, didn't come home. It's a place for remembrance and always keeping their names in our hearts and minds has always been the goal for us," Birks said.
Architect Chuck Witt designed the memorial to tell a story, with every feature representing a piece of history.
"We start with seven trees which represent the seven years of war total. And each of the two curved walls, one representing World War 2 and one representing Korea. The length of those walls is proportional to the number of days of each of the conflicts," Witt said.
Despite the freezing temperatures, hundreds came to stand in silence, reflecting on the sacrifice of the men whose names will now live on etched in stone.
"People can come out here and read their names and our battle cry from day one is, 'They'll never die if they're in our hearts and our minds,'" Birks said.
The Veterans Day dedication served as a powerful reminder that their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
