WWII Memorial Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for Thursday

SAN ANGELO, TX — A groundbreaking ceremony for a new World War II memorial at Rio Concho Park is scheduled for Thursday, June 6, from 10 to 11 a.m. 

June 6 also marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, making it the ideal day to mark the beginning of a project dedicated to honoring the brave men and women from our area who served during World War II.

The site is situated across from the McNease Convention Center along the Concho River. The San Angelo City Council unanimously approved a resolution on April 16 to utilize city property for the memorial. 

The initiative, led by a local citizens' committee in collaboration with the San Angelo Area Foundation, aims to recognize the contributions of World War II veterans from the Concho Valley.

“As we thought about the extraordinary generation that did so much to shape San Angelo, our nation, and the world, we felt the river was an excellent location to recognize WWII veterans from throughout the Concho Valley,” said Dr. Taylor Kingman, a volunteer for the project. “We are moving with haste, as there are very few surviving World War II veterans, and we would like them to see the fruition of this idea to commemorate them and their exceptional peers.”

Kingman also noted that, based on Veterans Affairs records, 15,000 to 18,000 veterans have called the Concho Valley home over the years. “An amazing number for a community our size,” he stated. 

The memorial will feature monument panels, dedication markers, plaques, and a bronze statue of a World War II Army Air Corps pilot. Additionally, the development plan includes parking improvements, pedestrian pathways, lighting, and limited landscaping to enhance visitor experiences. The names of all WWII veterans from the Concho Valley will be listed on the memorial.

The project's estimated cost is $400,000, funded entirely through community fundraising efforts. In addition to financial support, the city will provide the land and assist with the proposal's implementation and ongoing maintenance. Future plans also suggest expanding the site to include memorials for veterans of other conflicts and service operations.

For those interested in supporting the project, more information and donation options are available on the San Angelo Area Foundation's webpage at https://www.saafound.org/world-war-ii-veterans-memorial-fund.