Final preparations made for memorial
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on November 7, 2010 1:50 AM
Members of the trustees for the Wayne Memorial Association plan to break "hallowed" ground on Veterans Day -- marking the beginning of construction on a monument meant to honor those sons of Wayne County who never made it home from war.
But before the project's centerpiece -- a large granite map of Wayne with the names of those who fell listed within their respective townships -- is completed, the group is asking the public to take one final look at a list of the few dozen names of servicemen whose hometowns have yet to be identified.
John Lewis and Ed Borden said they will not be totally satisfied unless every fallen son is listed under the place he called home before making the "ultimate sacrifice."
So for the past several months, the two, along with local residents, have been working tirelessly to research each soldier set to be honored.
The groundbreaking, set to take place just after the annual Veterans Day parade -- the ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. -- will occur at the site of the former Community Building, located at the corner of Walnut and William streets.
And once the project is completed, those involved in its construction said it will be a lasting tribute.
Designed by landscape architect Jim Davis, the creation will include, among other things, a pavilion, the bronze plaques that were once housed in the Community Building, flags and a tribute to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
But in order for what they consider to be the most significant part of the memorial to turn out the way it was is intended to, they are, again, calling for the help of local residents.
All that is currently known about the following men is that they are from Wayne County.
Those with additional information, particularly what township each man is from, are asked to contact Lewis at 735-1261 or News-Argus reporter Kenneth Fine at 739-7841 or via e-mail at [email protected]
The remaining names include:
* Elliott Mack, World War I
* Wyatt Hinson, World War I
* James Herbert Hogan, World War I
* Harry B. Hood, World War I
* William O. Mozingo, World War I
* Chas Raynor, World War I
* R.H. Westbrook, World War I
* Shade Wooten, World War I
* Jerry H. Beamon, World War II
* James L. Byrd, World War II
* Albert L. Ellington, World War II
* Reulien R. Floyd, World War II
* Carl E. Franklin, World War II
* May S. Higgins, World War II
* Ray Hill, World War II
* James L. Howell, World War II
* Louis J. Jernigan, World War II
* Charles C. Keller, World War II
* Gary L. McDonald, World War II
* Willie Rogers, World War II
* Benjamin W. Taylor, World War II
* William C. Wilson Jr., World War II
* Joseph D. Winchester