Veterans Park - Linda Higgins

In 1933 the parcel of land behind the National Guard Armory (now the urgent care facility) was gifted to the city and the American Legion. Originally known as The Upper Market Space where farmers sold their produce, after World War II, it served as a memorial to the 37th Tank Company.

At the beginning of the war that company became part of the 192^nd Tank Battalion. The 42 local men, Company C, were sent to train at Fort Knox, Kentucky. 32 of this company were supporting General Douglas MacArthur on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines on April 9, 1942, when they were captured by the Japanese.

They joined The Bataan Death March, forced on the 66-mile march by the Japanese military. The 66,000 Filipinos and 10,000 Americans were brutalized on the march, and of those who made it to the prisoner camp many died of starvation and disease. Twenty-five hundred Filipinos and 500 Americans died on the march, and 26,000 Filipinos and 1,500 Americans died at the camp. Ten of the 32 men of Company C were alive when the camp was liberated in 1945. Company C earned three Presidential Unit Citations for their heroic defense of Bataan before they surrendered.

The Memorial Rose Garden was dedicated to these 42 men in May of 1954 with a parade and speakers. American Legion members and many volunteers developed the park, with materials and labor donated by community businesses and individuals, as well as the city. For instance, the original star-shaped garden was built in a weekend by a group of 15 men, with dirt supplied by the city and stones donated by Kelley-Island Lime and Transport Company from Marblehead. The entrance stated “Lest We Forget.”

When the Armory was sold in 1969, City Council and State Representatives Howard Knight and Ken Thompson fought successfully to have the land deeded to the city. (Judge Tom Stahl had suggested to the council that should the park be sold they should condemn it and turn it over to the city.)

In November 2001, a rededication of the Gold Mothers Star and dedication of the new Veterans Memorial Walkway at the park took place as a result of work by members of the American Legion, VFW, Boy Scouts, Masonry Construction, countless other entities and community members. This ceremony followed years of determined attention to the old and installation of the new by these dedicated volunteers.

The Veterans Memorial Walkway Brick Program, through which engraved bricks can be purchased to honor and memorialize local veterans, is ongoing. This project honors all those who have served during wars and conflicts, beginning with the Civil War, as well as during peacetime.

In 2012, the Veterans Park entrance archway was added by veterans/designers Ernie Hopkins, a trustee with American Legion Post 113, and Dave McDougall, American Legion Post 113 Commander, with the aid of city employee Eric Petersen. These men planned and executed the revitalization of the park, including flagpoles flying POW-MIA, United States and Ohio flags; a restored WWII M5 anti-tank gun; and a bronze statue of a pair of empty combat boots with a helmet resting upon a rifle to honor fallen soldiers.

The raised, star-shaped garden has brass plaques on each point honoring the military branches. The eternal flame in the center has truly endured, as has the Fallen Soldier Battlefield Cross. A restored M-42 Duster tank stands on the north side of the park. Space Force and Merchant Marines insignias have been added to those of the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

An irrigation system supports the beautiful landscaping and the Fallen Soldiers Monument is illuminated. Welcoming benches, a podium and an upgraded electrical system are present, also. Donations fund park maintenance, and renovations have been supported by the Elks’ and others’ donations. The city supports the efforts of the many volunteers, regular and spontaneous.

Port Clinton’s Veterans Park is located at 115 Monroe Street and West 2^nd Street and is a lovely spot to visit and reflect. Fortunately, respect is evidently contagious, as vandalism has not been the problem it is for some local parks.