4/21/2001 - War Memorial bid accepted; money needed By BARBARA FORMAN/Daily Sun Staff The Navarro County War Memorial Committee has accepted a bid for the proposed war monument from Phipps Memorial in Waco. Now that the company and the design of the monument has been selected, all that is needed are the funds to pursue the project. To help raise money for the monument, bricks will be sold for $50 each by the NCWM committee. The bricks will have the name of any Navarro County resident who served in the armed forces. Only 3,000 bricks will be available and will be reserved in the sequence that paid orders are received. Sheriff Les Cotten, NCWM committee member, said the overall cost of the memorial would be about $75,000. Donations, money raised on the sale of bricks and any type of materials that can be donated are being accepted to help with the cost of the monument. "Once we get the minimum of $11,000 toward the monument we can actually begin the process," Cotten said. The $11,000 is the amount which is required by Phipps Memorial before they can begin work on the monument. Navarro County has responded positively to members of the committee concerning the war monument. An additional 50 names have been added to the 206 names that were on the original listing. "Names on the monument will only be for those who were killed in action or killed in wartime in a hostile situation," Cotten said. If the money comes in, committee members believe the preparation work can begin on the courthouse lawn where the monument will be located by the first of June or July. They are hoping for a September or October completion date and a dedication date on Nov. 11 which is Veterans Day. "I'm hoping we can have everything done at least 30 to 45 days before the dedication date," Cotten said. "It just depends on how the money comes in." The committee said it would help if companies would be willing to donate some of the materials that will be needed and if contractors who can do concrete or brick work could donate some time and their skills. The NCWM has required a lot of research to find veterans from Navarro County but progress has been made. Tom Easley, NCWM committee member, said he discovered three individuals who were listed as POW/MIA from the Korean War. In his research he found out that DNA samples were needed to verify the bodies but no attempts had been made to contact family members because of outdated personnel records. More and more with the advancement in DNA technology the Defense POW/MIA personnel office is formulating a policy for the disinterment of these unknowns for identification purposes. This service is not only for Korean War POW/MIAs, but also for World War II, Cold War and Vietnam. Last year there were 39 World War II, five Korean War, two Cold War, and 63 Vietnam War remains identified because of DNA testing. Easley said he was especially interested in locating family members of Robert Floyd Johnson, Billie Joe Jimerson and Clarence W. Swiney. Easley invites residents to call his office at (903) 654-3039 for more information on DNA testing. If a family has a loved one who was listed as MIA it is possible the remains have been buried but has never been identified. Easley said DNA offers closure to families who have never found out what happend to their war-family member. NCWM is closer to becoming a reality if the needed donations come in. It could be completed before Veterans Day and ready for families and interested residents to see who and how many fought and died from Navarro County. 5/27/2001 -  War memorial committee will honor fallen heroes By BARBARA FORMAN/Daily Sun Staff Memorial Day is a time to remember those who made sacrifices for freedom. Although a war can cost billions of dollars, the ultimate price is when someone's life is lost because of it. On Monday the Navarro County War Memorial Committee will honor over 280 men from Navarro County who sacrificed their lives for their country and others who were in need of their help. From World War I to the Vietnam War, Navarro County played an active part in helping to preserve freedom in America and fought willingly for the protection of others.   World War I World War I lasted for five years from 1914 to 1919 and it touched almost every part of the world. By the time the war had become a global war there were more than 65 million men involved. At the time of World War I the United States had an army which had less than 200,000 men. This war was fought in trenches and the automatic machine gun was introduced. The world had never experienced anything like the German automatics. One of the more famous guns was known as Big Bertha, a 916.5 inch weapon which could hurl a shell weighing 1800 pounds and at a distance of 9 miles. In an exert from "The Story of World War I" a Belgium statesman described the German weapon as a monster. He said, "The monster advanced in two parts, pulled by 36 horses. The pavement trembled. The crowd remained mute with consternation at the apparatus ... Hannibal's elephants could not have astonished the Romans more!" It was a war that annihilated women and children as well as soldiers. By the end of the war some estimated 13 million soldiers and 13 million civilians had died. The deaths in World War I numbered twice as many as in other major wars. The estimated cost of the war was $332 billion.   World War II The information collected thus far by NCWMC show 182 men from Navarro County as being killed during World War II. Twenty-six of those were also listed as missing in action of which six bodies were never found. Approximately 55 million people died during this war and it too was a global war. It affected the American people far more drastically than World War I. Even so, it produced much less intolerance and fewer examples of the repression of individual freedom of opinion. In the summer of 1945, with the exception of the Western Hemisphere, people around the world wandered in hunger and rubble. Millions of others were crippled physically and emotionally. The world was filled with exhausted and terrified people. The major aggressors in the war were Germany and Japan. In World War II women entered the armed forces and industry partook in greater numbers than ever before. Revolutionary weapons and devices were introduced for the first time. Some of the new technical advances included radar, guided missiles, and the atomic bomb. Airplanes (bombers and fighters) were also portrayed as a weapon of critical importance for the first time. It was estimated the war cost over a trillion dollars. War casualties included over 20 million who died and 30 million who were wounded. World War II paved the road to Pearl Harbor. More than 2,400 American servicemen were killed in the surprise attack by Japan. It also produced the war's most horrific evil which was the Nazi extermination campaign. The German concentration camps were overrun and in the holocaust there were no less than six million Jews killed. Although World War II left a mark of death, misery and destruction around the world, the United States finished the war with people having a higher standard of living. The war also gave direction to political changes that were needed.   Korean War After World War II most servicemen concentrated on making a home and having a family. It was the period of the baby boomers and a family lifestyle that was comparable to that of "Beaver Cleaver." American strategist were always seeking to keep communism in the Far East. In 1950, after the United States had deliberately excluded Korea from what was known as the "defensive perimeter" of the United States in Asia, it was up to South Korea to protect themselves. This so called defense encouraged North Korea to attack. North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950. Simultaneously after the fighting broke out President Harry S. Truman ordered American military forces into action against the invaders. In the Korean War, which is often called the forgotten war, America was caught not looking and listening closely enough. American leaders learned through harsh experience and tragic consequences what being unprepared could cause. It showed leaders that a small, little known country could achieve military success against even the most powerful of nations. The Korean War was terminated after three years of conflict. The United States suffered 157,530 casualties. The estimated Communist casualties were two million. Although the tools and procedures of wartime have changed since the Korean War, the basic conditions have not. The Korean War helped to establish a training ground for new and inexperienced soldiers that is the foundation of training for wartime today.   Vietnam War The war began as a determined attempt by Communist guerrillas (Vietcong) in the South, backed by Communist North Vietnam, to overthrow the government of South Vietnam. Actual U.S. observation and planning to assist in the Vietnam crisis began as early as 1958. In Dec. 1961, the first U.S. troops consisting of 400 uniformed army personnel, arrived in Saigon to operate two helicopter companies. A year later the U.S. military strength in Vietnam stood at 11,200. Unlike conventional wars, Vietnam had no recognizable front lines. Much of the combat consisted of hit-and-run attacks, with the guerrillas striking at scattered government outposts and retreating into the jungle. After torpedo boats attacked two U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin the U.S. Senate authorized increased military involvement and Gen. William C. Westmoreland became commander of the U.S. Forces in South Vietnam in 1964. From statistics based on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall the average age of the 58,148 soldiers killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years. There were five men killed who were only 16 years of age. One out of every 10 Americans who served in the Vietnam War was a casualty. Besides the number killed there were also 304,000 wounded out of 2.59 million who served. Although the percent of those who died are similar to other wars, the amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. There are 75,000 Vietnam veterans who are severely disabled. The fall of Saigon came two years after the American military left Vietnam. The last American troops departed in 1973. The war which was fought had been decided by U.S. leaders who had agreed to a stalemate. For 10 years soldiers gave their lives and their arms and legs to a cause that many are unsure of today. Agent Orange became a familiar term. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which was referred to as shell shock in other wars, helped to make medical progress in understanding the medical disorder. As with any war there are scars that are left, but Vietnam left multiple scars and memories that debilitated lives. General William T. Sherman when he said "War is hell," knew what the meaning of war was. The Navarro County War Memorial Committee are dedicated to remembering veterans who gave their lives for freedom. If you are interested in donating to the memorial monument call Tim Easely at (903) 654-8840.   7/4/2001 -  County War Memorial efforts make headway By LOYD COOK/Daily Sun Staff Their names are part of history and legend, these warriors who paid the ultimate price. They trudged across continents; sweated, fought, bled and died in faraway places in the name of "Democracy" and "Freedom." A group of local residents are continuing an effort to commemorate some 287 Navarro County veterans of war who paid the ultimate price in defense of the United States of America. County Judge Alan Bristol said fund-raising efforts are making headway, but more help from area residents is needed to pay for a proposed War Memorial to be built on the courthouse lawn. "We've raised a little more than $16,000 from the sale of commemorate bricks honoring those who served in World War I and II, the Korean War and Vietnam, and survived," Bristol said. "That's enough for the down payment (on the monument project), enough to get it going." The total price tag for the already-designed memorial is estimated at $75,000 to $80,000. Bristol said the plans call for a "little, mini-park setup" on the northwest corner of the courthouse lawn. "That's what the bricks are for, to honor their service, while raising money to erect a monument for those who died," Bristol said. The bricks will be laid to form a portion of the walkway area around the monument. The black granite War Memorial would be in the center of a scattered benches and take up much of that quadrant of the lawn. It is intended to be a place to relax and reflect. The monument would do something that hasn't been seen in Navarro County in recent years - consolidate memorials in one location. "The World War I monument is in Jester Park; World War II's at the VFW; there's not one for Korea; and the one for Vietnam is here (at the courthouse)," Bristol said. "This would be a great way to have monuments for all the wars in one place." Bristol said organizers are planning to approach local trusts and foundations in an attempt to raise as much of the remaining funds as possible. Bricks, engraved with the name of a Navarro County veteran that survived his war, can be had for $50 each. They can be obtained by contacting Tim Easley in the county auditor's office at 654-3095. Easley will also accept plain, old-fashioned donations to go toward the building of the memorial. "Tim has put in a lot of his own time on this," Bristol said. "He deserves a lot of credit for this." 7/4/2001 -  Letter to the Editor Honoring those that paid the ultimate price for our freedom To the Editor: The fourth of July is the day that we set aside to celebrate our freedom and our independence. As we enjoy our holiday, let us not forget the price that was paid by the men and women of this country who gave their lives that we might enjoy the freedom of today. The names of those who gave their lives for this freedom should never be forgotten, from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War and all the conflicts that occurred in our history where men and women stepped forward to defend this precious freedom that we have today. As a member of the Navarro County War Memorial committee, I have come to know some of these men and women. Though no women were actually killed in action from Navarro County several answered the call to serve their country in times of war. The stories I have heard and read about these men and women have driven me harder to insure that those that were killed in the service of their country are not forgotten and those that served and returned home are remembered as well. We have been working on a monument to honor these individuals who gave their lives so that we might live free. This monument will be on the Navarro County Courthouse lawn. It will list all the names of Navarro County veterans that were killed in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. I would liked to have seen a monument built to recognize all of Navarro County veterans, but the price for a monument that size would have cost a great deal. The cost to build the monument to honor those killed is estimated to cost $75,000. Considering the price that was paid by those veterans that will be on the monument, $75,000 is nothing. We have been selling bricks to help raise the money for this monument. The bricks cost $50, a small price to pay to honor the men and women of Navarro County who answered the call to protect our freedom. I encourage everyone that has a loved one that served to purchase a brick to honor that service. The bricks will be placed around the monument honoring the dead from Navarro County. These bricks and the monument will be here for generations. Even if you do not have a family member that served, you probably know of someone who served in the armed forces that you can honor by buying a brick. There are several veterans in this county that are not able to purchase a brick, due to fixed incomes. Remember they have already paid the price for your freedom and independence, don't make them have to purchase a brick for themselves. Your freedom has been secured through their service. It is your turn to insure that the price they paid is not forgotten. Bricks can be purchased at the Navarro County Auditor's Office in the basement of the courthouse, or fill out the form in this issue of the paper and return to the listed address. Tim Easley 7/15/2001 - Navarro County War Memorial movement needs your help  LOYD COOK They're badder than James Bond. More brave than a fictional superhero. And they saved the world ... more than once. Navarro County's men and boys that went overseas to protect freedom. And there are those that paid the ultimate sacrifice - laying down their lives in the name of Democracy and The American Way. For years their contribution has been lauded in the history books. But also for years, no monument noting their blood, sweat, pain, agony and selflessness has existed. At least, not for all the dead from all the wars. There is an effort underway to rectify that oversight. The Navarro County War Memorial Committee is trying to raise funds for a monument honoring the brave soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who died for their country. The committee is trying to raise the necessary $75,000 needed to erect a mini-park complex on the lawn of the county courthouse, a site that is graced with other memorials and statues. You can do your part. Tim Easley, a member of the committee, has been spearheading fund-raising efforts. To date, Easley said, the group has raised about $18,000, less than a quarter of the amount needed to build the monument. We can do better than that. Those who have served and survived can be remembered. Bricks, engraved with the name of a Navarro County veteran that survived his war, can be had for $50 each. They'll form the walkway around the monument to the dead. The bricks can be obtained by contacting Easley in the county auditor's office at 654-3095. Easley will also accept plain, old-fashioned donations to go toward the building of the memorial. The black granite War Memorial would be in the center of a scattered benches and take up much of the northwest quadrant of the courthouse lawn. The monument would do something that hasn't been seen in Navarro County in recent years - consolidate memorials in one location. "The World War I monument is in Jester Park; World War II's at the VFW; there's not one for Korea; and the one for Vietnam is here (at the courthouse)," County Judge Alan Bristol said in a recent interview. "This would be a great way to have monuments for all the wars in one place." Easley said he has been surprised that, despite the amount of publicity in all the local media outlets, he has encountered so many people that haven't heard about the effort to build the War Memorial. "We've been handing out fliers ... around town to people as they go about their daily business," he said. "And even though it's been in the newspaper, on KAND Radio and Northland Cable TV, a lot of them say they didn't know about the memorial. "And a lot of people saw the (July 4 Daily Sun) article, but only read the part of the article on the front page. They didn't read it all the way through and get the information that was on the other page. "With the newspaper, the people look at the obituaries and the editorial page. They sure know what's written on the editorial page." Well people, here it is. On the editorial page. Right in front of you. No more excuses. In the waters of Pearl Harbor, off the shores of Hawaii, the USS Arizona lays on the ocean floor. Some 60 years after the Japanese sank it, air bubbles still escape, making their meandering way to the surface above. The Naval relic still emits a small amount of oily discharge from its storage tanks. And, inside, in the quiet and dark of the ocean waters, the remains of those sailors trapped inside sit silent and still. For all eternity, they remain as a stark and horrifying testimony to the horrors of warfare. Was their sacrifice so small that we forget because it recedes away from us on the horizon of time? Are the men and boys that didn't return to a Corsicana, Kerens, Dawson, Pelham, Blooming Grove, Rice, Richland, Mildred, Frost, Chatfield or Roane home no longer important? In Arlington Cemetery, those who thought the ideals were strong, pure and important are at final rest. The long sloping hills are covered with crosses as far as the eye can see as the wind whispers over the carefully manicured green grass covering the remains of a country's heroes. Make the call. Toss in a few dollars. Do the right thing. They did.   9/6/2001 - Building of county war memorial delayed By LOYD COOK/Daily Sun Staff Work continues toward the beginning of building for the Navarro County War Memorial. Organizers of the effort have been working several months on raising funds for the memorial, intended to list the names of all Navarro County veterans who died in battle for their country. War Memorial committee leader Tim Easley said the group's monetary goal has almost been reached, but building plans have been delayed a few months because fund-raising efforts took longer than anticipated. "We put a pretty tough time limit on the contractors," Easley said of the project's length. "That's something we could have done better and the funding didn't come in when we thought it would." Organizers originally were shooting for Veteran's Day this November for an official unveiling, but have decided to put it off until Memorial Day in May 2002 to allow time for selecting a project engineer, have construction drawings complete and to extend the length of time the winning contractor will have to finish construction of the memorial. "We didn't want the job rushed," Easley said. "We want it done right." The project has been estimated at a cost of $75,000. Easley said the group has raised approximately $73,000 to date. Easley said the group is aiming for a March completion of the memorial. The unveiling is slated for Memorial Day both for the holiday and for the chance to dovetail its opening with the Navarro County Mason's annual celebration at the courthouse. The memorial will be located on the northwest corner of the Navarro County Courthouse lawn. Stabilization of that portion of the lawn will be key in completing initial concrete foundation and the actual placement of the memorial will be the easier part of the project, Easley said. About 287 names of veterans who died in battle have been collected, but Easley said more names may be surfacing after he begin looking through a 13-volume cemetery listing recently. He begin looking at a few death dates in those reference materials that would fall during the United States' wars. After comparing them to some research on the Internet, Easley discovered that one name, an Alfred Cook, had hometown status that was unclear. He said he will pull out a list of "possibles" from the cemetery volumes and research further. "The guys that were buried overseas aren't a problem," Easley said, noting that the State Department did extensive listings for those soldiers. "It was the guys that were brought home for burial that we've had a little bit of verification problems with. "I'm taking those names and going through the county clerk's office and the State Department to check them out. Whoever goes on that monument, I'll feel comfortable that they belong up there. I don't want to have to hurry up and then have to wonder about any of the names."   1/15/2002 State historical commission has concerns with county war memorial project (w/briefs) By LOYD COOK/Daily Sun Staff A committee member working to complete a Navarro County War Memorial told county commissioners Monday that the state's historical commission has yet to sign off on the project. Tim Easley, who works in the county auditor's office and is on the War Memorial committee, said the Texas Historical Commission has a few concerns about the project. "They've expressed their concern that the monument resembles a large grave marker and I've responded by sending them examples of monuments on the (grounds) of other county courthouses ... and that the design of the monument is consistent with other monument types," Easley told commissioners. "They've also said they believe the monument will obstruct the view of the courthouse." County Judge Alan Bristol said he thought the historical commission's concerns were small ones, noting that the courthouse already has monuments on all four corners of the property. "And this one is replacing the Vietnam Memorial, which went back to the people who paid for it," Bristol said. "I don't think (historical commission's) concerns carry much weight. I mean, we've got trees that are taller than the monument that are planted in between the courthouse and where the monument will eventually stand." The monument would honor all those from Navarro County who gave their lives in service of their country during war. The project will also include a mini-gardenlike motif, complete with benches and brick walkways. Organizers of the effort have been selling the opportunity for all veterans to have their name engraved on one of the bricks that will be in the walkways and area around the memorial. The project has been estimated at a cost of $75,000. In September, Easley said the group had raised approximately $73,000. At that time, the group was aiming for a March completion of the memorial. The unveiling is slated for Memorial Day both for the holiday and for the chance to dovetail its opening with the Navarro County Mason's annual holiday celebration at the courthouse. But Easley told commissioners on Monday that the historical commission has as long as nine months to respond to his answers to the commission's concerns. That could delay even the start of construction, as well as any possible Memorial Day unveiling. "I've asked for a response (from the historical commission) by March 1," Easley said. "If we don't have approval by then, there's probably going to be delays." Commissioners approved a resolution in support of the war memorial project to send on to the historical commission and Easley said he will include published articles and Letters to the Editor with the package to demonstrate the community support the project has garnered. Loyd Cook may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected] 1/30/2002 Historical commission slows pace of war memorial By LOYD COOK/Daily Sun Staff AUSTIN -- The effort toward the construction of a consolidated war memorial on the Navarro County Courthouse lawn as hit a snag, in part because of the courthouse itself. On Tuesday, Texas Historical Commission officials told members of the Navarro County War Memorial committee that they have some problems with the type of materials chosen as they relate to an overall picture of the courthouse and the square on which it sits. Larry Oaks, executive director of the historical commission, said that his department isn't attempting to be difficult, just making sure that the ambiance of the era of the building is maintained. "Those are things we tend to think of more because we're thinking if you use X-type of stone and you cut it X-kind of way, how does that relate to the building and works," Oaks said. "I guess we have to figure out what works best for both of us (state and county) and for the people of Texas, a lot of them who will be ... visiting this great courthouse in Corsicana." The choice of black granite and red bricks, along with the positioning of the monument park as it relates to the northwest corner of the courthouse square were not what the historical commission would have preferred, Oaks said. Terry Easley, chief researcher for the war memorial committee, said all the materials have been purchased and are being held at Phipps Memorial in Waco awaiting the final approval from Austin. Sheriff Les Cotten, who is committee chairman, said the materials can't be changed at this time but working out the location so the monument will satisfy the aesthetic concerns of the commission will be the key. "I feel sure we'll work out an agreement with the historical commission that will work for everybody," Cotten said. "It's just going to push our timetable back, but we'll get it built." The war memorial committee had been aiming for a Memorial Day dedication, hoping to combine those ceremonies with the annual barbecue and celebration put on by county Masonic Lodge members. Part of conversations held Tuesday focused on the possibility of the county gaining state funding for the renovation of the interior of the courthouse. The county's application under that program was denied during a recent funding cycle, "Anything that we do (altering the courthouse), we do want to catch fairly early on," Oaks said. "Because we are going to be coming up we hope fairly soon, with a fairly large check saying "lets get this courthouse restored.' "So we want not only the building, but the grounds and the monuments to all sort of be of a piece, or set of things, that really work together well." Navarro County Judge Alan Bristol said the project is important to accurately reflect what the community wants, while at the same time staying close to the guidelines laid down by the historical commission. "This project has been in the works for a while and we want to make sure that we get it right," Bristol said. "Not only in design and in honoring our veterans, but in how the memorial will affect the future needs of the courthouse." Loyd Cook may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected] 3/8/2002 County officials pleased with war memorial progress County officials check over one of the stones that will represent the war memorial project. Left to right are Sheriff Les Cotten, Phipps Memorial artist Jessie Gomez, memorial project leader Tim Easley and Phipps salesperson Barbara Stringer. Daily Sun photo/RAYMOND LINEX II By RAYMOND LINEX II/Daily Sun Staff   WACO -- Sheriff Les Cotten and project director Tim Easley received an up-close look at the county's war memorial monument Thursday at Phipps Memorial Company. They liked what they saw. "As far as the etching, it looked really good," said Easley of the WWI portion of the four-piece memorial that also includes tributes to WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War veterans. "We've only been dealing with drawings and pictures, and that's the first time we have seen the stone. I was pretty impressed with it." Cotten, a Vietnam veteran, pointed out a couple of inaccuracies, something the war memorial committee would like to steer clear of. The plan is to make the $75,000 project as factually correct as possible. "We know the first thing that will happen if we get it up is, 'That helmet doesn't look right' or 'That plane doesn't look right,' " Cotten said. "If it's not right, somebody knowledgeable will let us know." Kerens resident and Phipps salesperson Barbara Stringer welcomed the Sheriff and Easley and allowed them to inspect all facets of the project. The WWI stone, about four by six foot, is almost complete, with etched renderings of soldiers, ships, planes and tanks. The remaining stones are on site, including the base of the project, which is expected to begin construction in July, Easley said. It took four months to get the stone from India, Stringer said. "They had to roll (the large base piece) down the side of a hill to get it to the boat to ship it out," Stringer said. Jessie Gomez, a TSTC student, is the primary artist under art director David Montgomery, who is also assisted by Adam Estorga. Gomez estimates he has spent 30 hours on the WWI project. "It's done with an airbrush that does basically regular etching," Gomez said. The tool uses diamond tips. Montgomery said Gomez's work is 90 percent artistic talent, 10 percent education. The county's project is the largest taken on by Phipps, the largest granite dealer in the state, in Montgomery's three years, he said. "On a much smaller scale, we get something like this maybe once a month," Montgomery said. Each war stone will have the names of all known Navarro County veterans killed or missing in action on the back of them. The project is still pending Texas Historical Commission approval, but that is in its final stages, Easley said. "There are still some little details to work out," Easley said. The war committee hopes to have the project completed for Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, and is still selling honorary bricks for any county veteran to be displayed around the memorial. The city is playing a key part in the project, providing engineering and construction help. Raymond Linex II may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected] 7/16/2002 First ground broken on Navarro County War Memorial project By JAYSON LARSON/Daily Sun Staff Tim Easley addresses a small crowd along with members of the Navarro County War Memorial Committee and other city leaders gathered in front of the Navarro County Courthouse Monday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony as a further step in making the memorial a reality. Daily Sun photo/KIRK SIDES   It has been two years in the making. Friends and fellow community members have come together, spent hours meeting and planning and working. Some of those friends did not live to see this moment. Those community members and leaders on Monday took the first tangible step toward making the Navarro County War Memorial a reality by ceremoniously breaking the ground on the northwest corner of the county courthouse where the memorial will be located. "There is no greater sacrifice than for one to lay down his life for another. To me, there is no greater joy than to honor those who have secured my freedom and that of my family," said Tim Easley, a member of the war memorial committee. " ... Through the erection of this monument, I believe we as a community can show the veterans and their families that we are proud of them and the sacrifices that they have made." The memorial will consist of three parts. The main monument will be made up of four panels listing the names of those from Navarro County who died during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Those panels will also have etchings on one side depicting the soldiers and the equipment used during those wars. The second part of the memorial will consist of one panel dedicated to all veterans of the county. The third part will be a brick walkway inscribed with the names and service information of several veterans from the county. During the ceremony, Easley offered a quote from an unknown author he said has sustained his determination throughout the project of getting a comprehensive war memorial on the courthouse lawn. The quote states, "Poor is the nation that has no heroes ... shameful is the one that, having them ... forgets." "It is not that we as a community had forgotten or heroes," Easley said, "but that there had to be a better way to show them and their families that we hadn't, and a memorial on the courthouse lawn was the best way to show our gratitude. "Through the erection of this monument, I believe we as a community can show the veterans and their families that we are proud of them and the sacrifices that they have made." Board member and Navarro County Sheriff Les Cotten said the idea for putting a war memorial on the courthouse was first publicly stated by former Daily Sun columnist Mack Crawford such as the one that had been erected in Blooming Grove at the time. It wasn't long before County Judge Alan Bristol appointed a committee to look into making the well-received idea a reality. "It makes me feel good that we are finally going to have a memorial up there," said Cotten, a veteran of the Vietnam War. "This is going to be something I think everybody can be proud of." Other members of the committee are Irene Davenport, Jackie Farmer, Charles Harrison, Bob Frisby, Roy Miller and Warner Redus. Two men, Crawford and Don Steely, were in on the initial planning stages of the project but have since died. Jayson Larson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected] July 25, 2002 A construction crew works on the front lawn of the Navarro County Courthouse Tuesday to lay the foundation for the Navarro County War Memorial. Daily Sun photo/KIRK SIDES   Navarro County commissioner's assistant  Gail Roman works on a flag that will cover the county's war memorial.  Daily Sun photo/RAYMOND LINEX II   Navarro County is at work for you. Sheriff Les Cotton, Tim Easley, Katie Phillips, Judge Alan Bristol and Gail Roman help to prepare a temporary cover for the almost completed War Memorial. Daily Sun Photo/RAYMOND LINEX II 9/26/2002 Keeping it all under wraps: Monument to remain covered until dedication By BARBARA FORMAN/Daily Sun Staff What do you get when you put yards of material, lots of planning and fun together? A flag cover for the Navarro County War Memorial. Committee members and recruited help are working to keep the viewing of the memorial a secret until the dedication of the memorial that is planned for Veterans Day in November. Completion of the monument is expected sometime next week. Katie Phillips, county extension agent for family and consumer science, and Gail Roman, administrative coordinator for the Navarro County commissioner court, in addition to their jobs are also working to put the huge cover together. The bright red, white and blue material, which committee member Tim Easley helped to locate, is being carefully sewn together. There are five sections 20 feet by 36 inches that will be connected to cover the monument. Phillips and Roman also designed the cover. Besides finding enough fabric, another challenge was locating enough accessories such as grommets. "People kind of looked at us a little funny when we asked for them," Phillips said. The grommets are small metal or rope eyelet's that will be used to gather and secure the cover. "It is to keep it hidden until the monument is revealed in November," Phillips said. With all of the planning for the design and cutting of the fabric, the project has required a lot of time. One of the consistent problems has been finding the available time that would not interfere with jobs. A temporary sewing station was up in a conference room at the courthouse. Roman and Phillips were obviously having a good time with the whole endeavor. They said the first cut was the most nerve-racking, but once they had started the process everything became a little easier. "It is something that means so much to so many, we wanted to do it," Phillips said. Both agreed sewing had been a long time hobby and something they loved to do. "I have been sewing since I was five," Phillips said. "It is up to you to figure out how long that has been." Roman said that the combination of sewing interests plus other similarities she and Phillips enjoyed had been good ingredients for becoming better acquainted and making friends. It was a day of work and fun. Cotten and Bristol, who also worked with other committee members to obtain the monument, joined the fun and added a few helpful hints on ways to recycle the material once the war memorial was dedicated. "When you get through we could make a big flag, or patriotic ties," Cotten said. Bristol gave his approval on the suggestions, the ladies shook their heads, looked at each other and simply continued working. Problems with the proper tension on the sewing machines, which Phillips said had interfered with the "zig and zag" being together, the bulkiness of the fabric or the back-and-forth efforts to continue sewing was not stopping progress. Everyone involved on the up and coming Navarro County War Memorial said it was worth the time and whatever they could contribute to honor those who had given so much for the country. Barbara Forman can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]. Clifford York, left, and Billy Horne, right, of Waco's Phipps Memorial guide a piece of the Navarro County War Memorial into place Friday as it is hoisted by a crane provided by Watkins Construction Co. Inc. on the lawn of the Navarro County Courthouse. Daily Sun photo/KIRK SIDES All rights to these stories reserved. Copyright Corsicana Daily Sun and Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc,. 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