KINGWOOD — Preston County’s Vietnam veterans are working with county commissioners to erect a memorial on county property.
Vietnam veterans James Savage and Bill Benson addressed the commission Tuesday about the planned memorial. They made a formal request to be allowed to place the memorial on county property.
They also brought a transfer of ownership of the memorial to the commission once the memorial is in place.
“We have been kicking this idea around for this for over six years, and nothing much happened as far as location or this and that and the other,” Savage said. “But in the last three or four months we contacted Jerry and Jennifer Fields, and it happened.”
The couple owns and operates Fields Funeral Home and are a family with a long history of military service.
Jennifer Fields worked with the company that is making the memorial, which is ordered, and the veterans put a down payment of half the total cost, Savage said.
“It’s looking like early spring or late summer, so it’s not going to happen immediately,” Savage said.
Commission President Samantha Stone said it was “quite an honor” to be asked to place the memorial on county property.
The memorial is 8 feet long by 5 feet high in the center. It consists of three connected panels, and the insignias of all branches of the U.S. armed services are on it.
“It’s just a memorial for Preston County veterans, recognizing them for what they did many years ago,” Savage said.
A number of locations were discussed for the memorial, he said, including the intersection of W.Va. 7 and 92 at Reedsville, but the county seat was agreed on.
“Which makes sense,” Savage said. “It’s right here with the other memorials. It’s right here where everybody can see it. Here in town, it’s protected more so than out there in the country somewhere. It just goes with all the other memorials from past wars at the county seat.”
The exact location where the memorial will be placed is yet to be determined. Commissioners will meet with veterans in the new year to discuss the location.
“We have plenty of time to work out the details,” Savage said.
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