Fallen soldier monument stirs controversy in Milford

A veterans group wants to complete the Veterans Memorial in Milford's Central Park with a fallen soldier monument, but the Village Council isn't sure the piece — which features a pair of boots and a helmet atop an M-16 rife — is an appropriate focal point for the park.

Bear Hall, founder and chairman of the local Friends of American Veterans (FAV), approached the council earlier this month hoping for approval of the plan.

The group wants to place a fallen solder memorial – also known as a battle field cross – at the end of the brick paver walkway leading out from the current Veterans Memorial near the main park entrance.

The plan calls for an 8-foot-tall monument, including a 43-inch granite base matching the current memorial, topped by a 52-inch sculpture of the fallen soldier memorial: a bronze sculpture of combat boots, rifle – an M-16 – with dog tags and a helmet on top.

It's the gun that has raised concerns among some members of the parks commission and the village council.

The proposal went to the Village Parks and Recreation Commission last month for consideration. The commissioners, said Village Manager Christian Wuerth, did not make a recommendation to council on the matter.

"There was some concern from a couple of members regarding the specific memorial that's proposed," said Wuerth. "Specifically, the gun. They understood the history of (the memorial) and the meaning of it, they just didn't feel it was appropriate for that specific location."

Several members of the Village Council agreed.

Council President Jerry Aubry says he's not opposed to the fallen soldier monument itself, but rather the prominence of the proposed location.

"I don't think it needs to be a center point of our Central Park," Aubry said. "The boots, the machine gun, the helmet; I understand it should be there somewhere, but I don't think it should be right in the middle of the park."

"Being a veteran I want to see a monument there, yes," said Councilman Tom Nader. "I just don't think this is the proper one."

Councilwoman Jennifer Frankford disagrees.

"If it wasn't for the boots and the gun and the helmet, we wouldn't have all the freedoms we have," she said.

The piece is representative of the memorial assembled by troops when a comrade is killed at war. The practice is said to date back to the Civil War, when it was used to identify bodies on the battleground.

More recently, however, the assemblage of a battle field cross became an important tradition among troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, allowing soldiers still engaged in the fight – and unable to attend the funeral back home – to honor and memorialize a fallen comrade.

Hall, who served with the U.S. Marine Corp from 1982-90, said his original plan called for a smaller monument, but that he was told the piece had to match the height of the Washington Monument replica at the site. The larger piece, he said, increased the cost of the project from $6,000 to $17,000.

Over the last three months, FAV has raised about $12,000 in donations to pay for the new memorial. Many of the donations, Hall said, came from the downtown Milford business community, as well from other local businesses and organizations and individuals.

The council plans on discussing the issue again at its April 20 meeting and Hall says he plans to attend the meeting "with a lot of people."

"All the vets I talked to (after the meeting) are furious," he said. "People who gave me money are furious. Everyone's thinking the same thing we're thinking: We didn't win the war by throwing sticks and stones."

"It's the ultimate sacrifice," Hall added. "Somebody gave their life to protect and serve this country and they should be remembered. They should never be forgotten."

Hall did say, however, that he was open to a smaller monument, as well as a different location within the Veterans Memorial.

"It could be to the side," Hall said. "I'm not adverse to that. We feel – the veterans feel – that it needs to be there. If (council) doesn't want it as a focal point, that's fine, but we don't want some foofoo fountain, either."

Ron Nevorski of Milford, who is a member of the FAV board, served with the U.S Marine Corp during the Korean War. The fallen soldier memorial, he said, is important to him.

"If people are worried about their kids seeing a gun, take away their video games and take away their TVs," he said. "Don't let them hunt, and don't teach them to protect themselves.

"These guys, these fallen heroes, have given everything for our freedom."

Laura Colvin is a writer for the Hometown Life. She may be reached at lcolvin@hometownlife.com or 248-390-7396.