Memorial

Veterans Memorial Building
Clackamas County
In Memory Of All Who Gave Their Lives For
The Preservation Of American Freedom
Spanish American War - World War 1 - World War 2
Erected Under the Direction Of
Waldo Caufield Post No. 1324
Veterans Of Foreign Wars Of The United States
1949

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1324 was chartered in 1925 in Oregon City,
Oregon and has been at the current location since 1949 when we built and
dedicated the Clackamas County Veterans Memorial Building, our Post home.
We are a VFW Post with active members who served in WWII, Korea, Viet Nam,
Iraq, and Afghanistan. We are involved in our community from West Linn and
Gladstone to Clackamas and Happy Valley, and of course Oregon City.

Dedicated In Memory of Those Who Died In
Defense Of Our Country - Lest We Forget
Dedicated: November 11, 1998
 
The original memorial located at the Clark County Courthouse was built in 1945. In the early
1990’s it was discovered that names were missing from that memorial. Because of the
smaller size, age and handicap in-accessibility of the original memorial it was thought a new
memorial might be in order. Upon a request from Clark County officials, the 40 et 8 formed
The Clark County Veterans Memorial Advisory Committee, co-chaired by Chuck Jones and
Coleah I. Penley-Ayers. Meeting monthly, committee members worked for five years uncovering
more missing names, designing, planning and fundraising. Primarily the memorial was funded
by individual donations from within the community.

Attached to a stone marker is a bronze plaque dedicated to vet­erans. Beneath it is a marble inset engraved with the names of the wars -  WWI, WWII, and the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf Wars.

Plaque - top:
DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO MADE THE SU- / PREME SACRIFICE AND TO ALL OTHERS / FROM CLASON POINT WHO ENTERED THE / SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WAR / NEW YORK CITY / A.D. 1928 /

Plaque - bottom left:
LET US RAISE / A STANDARD TO WHICH / THE WISE AND HON- / EST CAN REPAIR THE / EVENT IS IN THE HANDS / OF GOD. / WASHINGTON / THAT GOVERNMENT / OF THE PEOPLE BY THE / PEOPLE AND FOR THE / PEOPLE SHALL NOT PER- / ISH FROM THE EARTH / LINCOLN / 

Plaque - bottom right:
NO IMPERIAL / DESIGNS LURK / IN THE AMERICAN / MIND THEY ARE / ALIEN TO AMERI - / CAN SENTIMENT / THOUGHT AND PURPOSE. / MCKINLEY / THAT THE WORLD / MAY BE MADE / SAFE FOR DEMOC- / RACY. / WILSON / 

Granite:
1917 --- 1918

This monument, dedicated on September 12, 1921, consists of a concrete and granite base on which is mounted a bronze plaque and small porcelain photo.  It was erected in honor of Claude Close Howard (1896-1918), the only man from Deming, NM killed in World War I. Funds were raised by public subscription, with a limit of one dollar per person."  The monument stands in front of the Luna County Courthouse. 

The plaque reads:

IN MEMORY OF
CLAUDE CLOSE HOWARD
M.G.Co. 356th INFANTRY
BORN MARCH 4, 1896
KILLED IN ACTION SEPTEMBER 24, 1918
IN ST. MIHIEL SECTOR, FRANCE
~
THIS TABLET ERECTED
BY HIS MANY FRIENDS

This building houses all Clay County Memorial Plaques since World War I.

Front inscription:
Erected 1927 by Horse-Shoe Robertson Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution in tender memory of Clay County World War Veterans.

West Point Army Officers:
Navy - Marine
[List of names]

Clay County Army Officers:
[List of names]
Navy

Supreme sacrifice men of West Point and Clay County:
[List of names]

Left side:
The Horse Shoe Robertson Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution wish to go on record as deeply grateful to the World War veterans for service rendered.

[List of chapter member names]

Rear inscription:
West Point, Miss. & Clay County
Army, Navy & Marines
[List of names]

Right side:
Clay County Army, Navy & Marines
[continuation of names]

The memorial is a white three-sided structure with a flat top, on which is mounted a sundial. It all sits atop a low three-sided con­crete base with rounded corners, lt honors the men from Union County who died in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It was designed by the Clayton Garden Club and was dedicated on Veterans' Day, 1953. Later plaques were added in 1984.

The inscription on this memorial reads: 

In Proud Remembrance of
Those Sons of
Clemson College
Who Gave Their Lives in the Great Cause

1917 - Of Liberty and Justice - 1918

Claude S. Garrett '17 1st Lt. 8th Aero Sq.
Richard H. Johnson '15 1st Lt. 56th Inf.
George L. McCord '11 1st Ly. 325th Inf.
John M. McIntosh '14 1st Lt. 357th Inf.
Stephen M. Richards '15 1st Lt. 87th Inf.
Augustus M. Trotter '15 1st Lt. 7th Inf.
Harry C. Horton EX,'19 2nd Lt. 11th Inf.
David E. Monroe '17 2d Lt. 16th Inf.
John B. Ryan '08 2nd Lt. 422nd Lab Bn.
Ozbourne T. Sanders '11 2nd Lt. Field Art.
Henry L. Suggs '16 2nd Lt. 85th Aero Sq.
Herbert F. Bethea '10 Sgt. M.P.
William G. Williams EX,'15 Sgt. 308th San. Tn.
John W. Hollowell EX.'17 Cpl. 117th Eng.
Henry A. Coleman EX.'14 Pvt. 1st Cl. 306th F.S.Bn.
James N. Goldsmith SP.'14 Pvt. 1st Cl. M.G.T.S.
George W. Hairston EX.'13 Pvt. 1st Cl. Q.M.C.
Frank P. Salter '14 Pvt. 1st Cl. Air Services
Robert L. Atkinson '19 Pvt. S.A.T.C.
Edward R. Roberts Ex.'17 Pvt. 105th Am. Tn.
John A. Simpson '15 Pvt Field Art.
Guy B. Taylor Ex.'15 Lt. Med. Corps, Navy
Arthur A. Madden '18 Mach. Mate, Navy
Frank S. Stewart Ex.'21 Seaman, Navy

The Cleveland Grays were organized by statute in 1837 as an independent volunteer militia company. The Grays were the first company to leave Cleveland for service during the Civil War. In April 1861, they were designated Company E, 1st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). They saw action at Vienna Station and First Manassas and also served in the 84th OVI and were on duty with the 150th OVI at Fort Stephens when Confederate General Jubal Early attacked Washington in the summer of 1864. During the Spanish-American War the Grays volunteered for service and were admitted to the National Guard as the 1st Battalion of Engineers, 10th OVI. In 1916, they joined General John J. Pershing's Punitive Expedition against Mexico. After service on the Mexican border, the Grays became part of the 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th "Buckeye" Division. Assigned to the Western Front, the Grays would see action in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of 1918. World War I was the last active service of the company. During subsequent conflicts from World War II through the Persian Gulf War, individual members have served in the armed forces. In 1893, the Grays constructed an armory at 1234 Bolivar Road in Cleveland. The armory became a center not only for the organization's military activities, but also for many of the city's social and cultural activities. The first concert of the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland's first automobile show, and performances by the Metropolitan Opera and John Philip Sousa and his band were held at Grays Armory. Still in existence as an historic and ceremonial organization, the mission of the Grays is to interpret the military heritage of Greater Cleveland and to preserve Grays Armory.

Description:  Granite monument in the shape of the county, commemorating the service of those from this area. 

Inscriptions:  “In memory and honor of the men and women of Clinch County who defended our freedom through military service.”

A white marble monument for WW2 service is included in this gallery.

Pedestal front: 
FROM 'FLANDERS FIELDS' / IF YE BREAK FAITH / WITH THOSE WHO DIED / WE SHALL NOT SLEEP / THOUGH POPPIES GROW / ON FLANDERS FIELDS /

Pedestal rear: 
DEDICATED / NOVEMBER 11, 1929 / BY COMRADES AND FRIENDS / UNDER THE AUSPICES OF / CLINTON DISRTICT MONUMENT / ASSOCIATION AS A MEMORIAL / TO THE YOUNG FOLK OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD / WHO GAVE THEIR ALL IN THE WORLD WAR /

Architect: Harvey W.Corbett

Integral plinth: [signed] NORMAN M. THOMAS 1947 /

Pedestal: IN MEMORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN / OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD / WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY / IN WORLD WAR II A.D. 1941-1945 /

The City of Smyrna Veterans Memorial Park is a expansive area with large, inscribed granite walls anchoring one end of the park.  The portion of the inscription dedicated to WW1 lists seventeen names.  These are included in the Memorial Database located elsewhere on this website.  The inscription above the names reads:  “To Secure the Blessings of Liberty - Those Who Died in Service to Their Country.”

This memorial site is composed of two upright memorial stones, a large curved memorial wall, and a metal statue of a Native American man setting upon a horse which rests in the center of the memorial site.

The first of the upright memorial stones bears an inscription regarding the “Veterans of The Schitsu’ Umsh” which reads: “Our sons and daughters were taken from us while defending America. We hear their heartbeat. We hear their laughter in the breeze and we see their tears in the rain. We will never forget them. We pay tribute to the service of our men and women of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect this great nation. As their ancestors before them, they served with distinction, pride and honor in times of peace and conflict. For them there is no more sorrow or pain. Let them forever sleep in peace and their dreams be realized by those who they defended. We honor all of our Coeur d'Alene warriors. We keep vigilant in our hearts those who sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom. The sound of their heartbeats will echo through time.”

The other upright memorial stone bears an inscription regarding the “Warriors of The Steptoe Battle” which reads: “Truth and equality is what they sought after but could not find in the newcomers to this land. To this realization and with the understanding of the price of freedom and life's reality, they committed to take a course of action that put them at the forefront of battle with greed and ignorance. So this was their sacrifice. Showing all the living human race the emblem of commitment. Bounds to the love and respect of their loved ones and to their beloved land they called home. Our warriors, both men and women put the ultimate sacrifice down for all to see. Their blood still resides on the prairie as a reminder for us, not to take our life for granted. Through them ‘Our life is a gift by the Creator.’ 'etspute'stmet khwe gul snshi'tsntsutnet (We honor our ancestors).”

It is upon the large curved memorial wall that the names of the veterans are inscribed. Those veterans who fought in WWI are as follows: Joseph I. Cherapkin (Army), John Baptiste Falcon (Army), John F. Moctelme (Army), and Nicholas P. Campbell (Army).