TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Army Strong is raising funds to add a U.S. Army memorial and a battlefield cross to Tallahassee National Cemetery. They want to make sure every branch and sacrifice is honored.
The Memorial Walk currently lacks representation from several military branches, including the U.S. Army.Army Strong is asking the community to help them raise the $15,000 needed to complete the project.Watch the video to see how you can help make this memorial a reality.
Army Strong seeks support to complete two memorial monuments at Tallahassee National Cemetery
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Right now this space sits empty at the Tallahassee National Cemetery, but local veterans and community members say it won’t stay that way for long.
I’m Lyric Sloan in Southeast Tallahassee.
Behind this effort is a community-led push to build permanent U.S. Army Memorial monuments, honoring service members, preserving military traditions, and ensuring future generations never forget the sacrifices made here.
“Well, it’s important for all the services to have a place where, you know, their family members can come. There’s a tremendous amount of pride in service,” Air Force veteran David Wilson said.
At the Tallahassee National Cemetery, the memorial walk honors those who served and reminds us their legacy did not end on the battlefield. But the story here is not yet complete.
Several branches of the military are still missing from this walk of honor.
“There’s no army. There’s a Purple Heart. There’s a POW one that just got erected here, a Marine, an Air Force. That’s it. So all the all the branches need to be recognized out here for the for the work they do in this country,” Army Strong Chairman Billy Holder said.
Army Strong wants to help change that.
The local organization, dedicated to preserving military history, is working to build two new memorials, one honoring the United States Army and another, a battlefield cross memorial symbolizing sacrifice on the front lines.
“Well, I think it’s educational for the younger people to come and visit this location to see what people did and find out what they did in the Army, in the services and the wars, that they took care of the country,” Holder said.
For Chairman Billy Holder, this project is about connection between generations and between every branch of the military.
That sense of unity is something Air Force veteran David Wilson understands well.
Years ago, he helped bring the Air Force memorial to the cemetery, a project made possible by community support.
“Well, the community built all these, you know. I mean, they paid for all of them, and it’s not inexpensive. We have a great veteran community in Tallahassee. We really do. And they’re really supportive, and the people inside the community are always supportive of veterans events,” Wilson said.
$15,000 short of their goal, Army Strong is hoping the same community support will help them complete the U.S. Army Memorial and battlefield cross on memorial walk and ensure every branch and every sacrifice is honored.
Veterans tell me, freedom is remembered not just in words but in places like these—places they hope will soon honor Army service in a permanent way.
In Southeast Tallahassee Lyric Sloan ABC 27.
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