The memorial is located north of the Old Church Center.  It is constructed of polished black granite stones featuring an honor roll of veterans, both living and dead, and a memorial to all veterans.   The memorial sits on a concrete plaza with a flagpole and granite benches for visitors to rest and reflect.  Registry for the memorial is closed with no additional names being added.

Honor Roll

Revolutionary War

Jeremiah  Graves

 War of 1812

Mexican War

Civil War

Henry   Applebee

Oliver P Bain

Robert L Ballew

James H Berry

William E Berry

Isaac   Bickell

Samuel C Bingaman

Oliver M Bledsoe Sr

John L Bostwick

William H Bowyer

George W Brake

John   Brister

Barney R Brixey

William C Brooks

John N Butler

Joshua P Cain

William L Campbell

Z B Carr

Samuel W Clark

George W Cockrell

Conrad M Coldsmith

Samuel F Combs

Benjamin F Cook

Francis M Cooper

William G Cooper

William R Cooper

Edwin P Coots

William   Copeland

Andrew S Curtis

Louis H Daugherty

James J Davis

Thomas   DeHaas

William "Billie"   Dole

Charles   Drake

Thomas   Dumas

William A Dunlap

Simon   Ely

Noah M Enloe

Samuel H Ferguson

George W Fields

Thomas C Flowers

John B Ford

Henderson   Frame

Benjamin C French

Francis C French

William T Fulton

William T Ganes

John W Garner

Clabourn   Gearhart

James   Giddeon

Everett W Golden

Stillman   Goodenough

Henry D Graves

Thomas A Hager

Joshua F Hall

Newton J Halsey

John M Harrel

Guy H Harrington

Francis M Herring

Jacob   Hess

Columbus V Hicks

Lewis   Hilton

Jacob G Hosselton

Edward V Johnson

Gabriel G Jones

Martyr C Judge

Christopher   Kassner

Henry H Kimball

Benjamin F Kirby

George H Lerow

William R Lerow

Rozzell   Lewis

Thomas B Malloy

Robert G Mansell

Samuel S Mapel

Jacob R Martz

William I McCarty

Clark M McFarland

Joshua A McKinley

Jay   McNutt

James A Miller

Byron R Morgan

William   Morgan

Kirwin   Murray

Josiah F Musgrove

Thomas J Nail

Oliver   Nelson

George W Nottingham

Osmer L Olds

William H Orner

David L Payne

Samuel   Porter

James H Rentfrow

Leopold   Reuss

John H C Rice

Lewis C Rice

Daniel T Rising

Benjamin C Robinson

William B Rudd

John B Sasser

William H Schwab

James A Scroggs

James M Shannon

Joel  H Sherrod

William M Shipley

William C Show

Lewis L Shurtz

Peter   Slater

Henry   Smith

Henry M Smith

Leroy   Smith

Robert   Smith

Joseph M Stockton

Samuel R Stumbo

Andrew   Taylor

David B Terrill

James W Teter

Andrew B Thomason

William R Tipton

William F Todd

James H Treaster

Joshua S Upchurch

George W Utter

Joseph   Vedder

William E Vines

James L Ward

Davis E Williams

James K Williams

W Scott Wilson

Louis   Wire

David H Wright

Spanish-American War

Paul   Boone

John T Brixey

Hubert   Hansbro

Rolston G Harrel

Wilbert "Hub" Harrington

Levi G Hosselton

G W Minor

J Owen Spencer

Lonnie L Spencer

Walter D Wallace

Albert  D Williams

World War I

 Warner W Acuff

Joseph C Ardrey

Robert O Bain

Robert L Baker

Leslie O Ball

John O Bateson

Clyde   Beemer

Carl D Bingaman

Cecil T Bostwick

Warren O Bowen

Frederick W Brown

George W Brown

Francis M Burch

Joseph W Chapman

Don   Crabs

William K Davis

Wilbur F Denny

Walter   Drumright

Charles E Freeman

Harry C French

Mark   Fullwider

John W Gambill

Walter M Gambill

Francis   Gillespie

Benjamin A Grant

John F Green

John O Hanks

Bertrand   Hardy

Rollie   Hendrix

Frank E Hert

Thomas W Hickman

Ralph   Hockett

Robert M Hudgens

Orval   Ingram

Ed   Jenks

Robert   Jennings

William L Johns

Albert T Johnson

Griff   Jones

Albert   Kautz

Edward E Kaywood

Earl C Kidd

Joseph E Kinder

Charles Owen Kinzie

Charles M Kite

Nile   Knipe

Theodore   Kubic

Del   Lewis

Roy W Luster

Howard G Main

Samuel C Mann

Seemar A Marshall

Jessie F Marti

Charles F Mathias

Guy E McClain

Linza P McGilvrey

Arthur Dale Miles

Ellis A Miles

Ray W Minter

Charles B Morgan

Willard   Mote

William Y "Dick" Myers

Clarence H Needles

Henry P O'Donnell

Otho K Paul

Jasper   Phillips

R R Platt

Earnest S Prior

John A Ragsdale

Fred P Reed

Grover A Ringwald

Hilbert F Ringwald

John W Ringwald

Thomas L Scheuermann

Earl R Scott

John  A Show

Edd J Slohn

Alva R Speed

Burton E Stanton

Fred M Stanton

Chancey   Stearman

Porter A Stollings, Sr

Eddy T Stumbo

George L Stump

Valentine L Todd

George   Tomlinson

Forrest   Turner

Richard   Vandegrift

Fred D VanZandt

Paul U Vassar

Herbert I Vowell

Samuel   Walker

Dallas H Walter

William N Wilder

Ross L Wiley

Rodger G Williams

John T Woodrum

Ray E Woolsey

 World War II

Cecil W Acuff

Mark H Bain

Cecil   Baker

John W Baker

Lonnie   Baker

Irick M Barker

Elmo G Barnes

Joe C Barta

Robert R Bassett

Dan A Bates

Charles W Bateson

George U Bateson

John H Beeler

Clair F Bigler

Forrest E Bilyeu

Clifton E Blackwell

Billy D Blair

Fred T "Pete" Bostian

Roy   Bostian Jr

Jack   Botts

William D Bowyer

Elbert   Boyle

Kenneth   Boyle

Sylvester   Boyle

Clifford E Boyles

Jimmy   Boyles

Johnny   Boyles

Wayne   Brake

Lawrence   Branson

Walter M Bridenstine

Barney B Brixey

Glen S Brixey

Arthur "Bud" E Brown

Donald M Brown

Cecil   Burrow

J D Burrow

Joe B Burton

Orval R Burton

Kenneth   Butler

Sherman D Cantrell

Lynn B Carlile

John C Carlile, Jr

Kenneth   Casey

Claude L Cash

Richard   Cash, Jr

Richard E Cavin

Red   Cheek

Elmo E Churchill

Don   Cicle

Loren   Cicle

Norman   Cicle

Rodney V Clark

Cleophas D Cloud

Burton R Coate

Richard N Cobb

S Broughton Collin

Leroy   Collyar

J Donald Cooper

Virgil L Cottman

John Y Courtright

Robert   Cox

Kenneth   Creager

Cecil J D Crenshaw

Clarence Edsel Crenshaw

Claude E Crenshaw

Lawrence H Crenshaw

Mancel E Crenshaw

Garvin L Cruse

Frank S  Cundiff

George "Farel" Cundiff

Nelson A Cundiff

Bryan J Curtis

Seemer H Davidson

Robert N Davis

Vernon L Davis

Anthony   Dean

John   Dean

Johnnie F Dean

Earl R Decker Jr

Norris D Dickey

Herndon   Donnelley, Jr

Frank   Doyle

Lee A Doyle

Ivan W Drake

Chester   Dry

Melvin O Dumas

Frank R Dungan

Preston B Dungan

Norman N Durham

Sam B Durham, Jr

Henry L Earp

Frank L Eaton

Fred   Eberhart

Joseph   Ely

Glen   Emerson

Earl D Emmons

John E Emmons

Lloyd G Emmons

Tommy I Emmons

James A Etheridge

William A Evans

Winfred   Evans

Dale S Fagan

Kenneth   Fagan

Paul W Fagan

Victor E Fiala

Forrest A Fillman

Wilbur   Fisk

Garland   Flint

Lee   Flint

Perry E Fowble

Leon C Freed

Verlin F Fulton

Kell W Gaskins

Maris A German

Ben Tom Gill

Kenneth   Gilstrap

Andrew J Gipson

George W Gipson

Hugh E Glasscock

Lawrence J Glover

Edwin   Goodenough

Charles A Grant

Harold   Greenwood

Alvin W Hall

Clifford D Hall

James R Hall

Joseph E Halstead

Thomas C Hamilton

Robert H Hammack

Richard L Heath

Robert R Heath

Raymond   Hendrix

Joseph E Herbst

Robert L Hert

Malcom   Hess

Earl J Hickman

Jerry B Hickman

Dale R Holbrook

Forrest E Holbrook

Lester W Holbrook

Ray W Holbrook

Philip R Holcomb

Galen C Holsinger

Glen   Hope

Willard L Hopkins

Arlie E House

Martin L Howell

Gene   Huff

Carl F Hughes

Phillip R Hughes

Bert W Huls

Kenneth L Huls

Gus T Hunt

Clifford   Ingham

Cleo F Jacks

Noel Ross Jacobs

Marion L Jarvis

Ercell T Jensen

Paul V Jensen

Lester V Jerrey

Benjamin F Kautz

Samuel H Kautz

Charles G Kelly

Isaac   Kent

Nathaniel   Kent

Cleo E Kidd

Raymond O Kinzie

C L Kirk

Lewis H Lacy

William   Lambert

Ernest C Lara

Lyle W Lauener

William F Layes, Sr

Erwin D Leaverton

Joe P Lewis

Abraham   Lincoln

Wesley   Lockard

Ray   Lockwood

John M Logan

Nicholas   Lowry

Bernard W Luster

J Q Lynd

William   Lynsky

William G Maddux

Elwin   Main

Roscoe   Mandeville

Richard   Mangold

Virgil L Mansfield, Sr

Harold W Martin

Scotty   McCall

Frank E McClellan, Sr

George   McConkey

Doyle W McCubbin

Ulysses V "U. V." McElhinney

Max G McGilvrey

Ronnie G McGilvrey

Ditz I McIlvain

Irven W McKey

Lee R McKnight

Verne W Medcalf

C D Mihura

Hollister C Miles

Louis F Miller

Perry   Miller

Richard T Miller

Sanford M Miller

Charlie V L Moser

Sol C V Moser

William R Murlin

Don  Murray

Lawrence P "Haga" Murray

Levi D Murray

Wallace C Murray

Thomas N Myers

Oliver G Neitman

George  J Neitman, Sr

Ruby Stollings Nerney

Ion L Newport

Myron  Newport

Charles B O'Donnell

John R Patterson

Chester O Paul

Willard G Pennington

Wilmer W Pepmiller

Leland E Pickett

Billie G Pittser

Leonard K Platt

Marvin M Polson

Harold J Porter

Kelly P Powell

Grover L Rains

Charles E Ralls

James A Rau

Robert F Read

Wilburn D Recer

Cegil C Redus

James W Rentfrow, Jr

Billy J Reynolds

Donnie T Reynolds

Dr. Mark  Rhea

John A Ricketts

Clifford A Riley

Dale L Ringwald

John A Ringwald

William Jacob Ringwald

Francis N Robison

Tommy  Roe

Donald  Rogers

Charles W Rowe

Lawrence  Roy

Charles  Rushmore

Jack C Sanders

Harold R Sanders, M. D.

Joseph E Seals

George L Sharpley

Loyd Q Sharpton

Roy "Logan" Sharpton

Herbert M Shoup

Preston  Shoup

Frank C Shuckakosee

Robert T Simerly

Elzie R Sine

Bobbie C Sissons

Ray R Sissons

Roy  L Sissons

Austin C Smith

Dwan A Smith

Fred E Smith

Kenneth O Smith

Leverne W Smith

Earl  Sparks

Howard L Springer

Joseph  Springer,  Jr

Alfred  L Stanton

Fred A  Stanton

Herman L Stranbrough

Paul O Strickland

Joseph W "Joe" Stump

Earl R Stump, Jr

Robert  Sumpter

Weston  Tedro

Daily C Tettleton

Charles  Thompson

Gene N Thompson

William W "Barney" Turnham, Jr

Lorenzo G Twoguns, Jr

George W VanZandt

William A Vassar

Carl J Vineyard

William C Waite

Francis P Waltman

Jackie L Waltman

Leslie R Waltman

Ruth A Wassell

John  Webb

Tommie E Welch

Willis A West

Albert W Westrop

Major  Whittaker

Dr Lee R Wilhite

Thomas A Williams

Robert  Wilson

Harold J Wiser

Earl G Wright

Holland H Wright

John F Wright

Joe  Wyant

William M Yaseck

Delmar  Yenzer

Clemmit  B Yockey

Joe L Youngker

 Korea

William J Apgar

Carol D Baldwin

Harold L Barry

Billie R Bartram

John H Bateson

R L Benedict

Fred W Black

William  Blair

T Leon Bostian

Ben R Bowen

Marvin  Boyle

Arlen  Bradley

Charles H Britton

Buddy A Brixey

Gene R Brooks

Arthur "Bud" E Brown

Gerry  Brown

Arthur L Burmeister

Donald  Burrow

Doyle  Burrow

Charles F "Fred" Carnes

Charles W Carroll

Richard D Chapman

Norvil R Cole

Troy C Courtright

Ernest O Cox

Charles E Crecelius

Charles K Crenshaw

Andy  Daniels

Edwin S Darby

Edwin D Davis

Cecil D Dodrill

Edwin E Dodrill

Jack D Downey

Richard  Downey

Jessie Leo Emerson

Roy M Emmons

Wilbur  Emmons

Edward  Ennis

Robert L Evans

Nathan W Fetters

Ray H Gann

Grady Val Gardner

Myron T German

Artie M Grimm

James E Halligan

Donald G Hartgrave

Cecil  Henrick

David C Hessel

Milton T Hewitt

Blayne  Holbrook

Gene  Holbrook

Dale W Jarvis

Stanley W Kautz

Charles Oren Kinzie

Richard  Knox

Norris R Lacy

Billy  Lewis

James E Longan

Robert  Lubbehusen

Billy M Lumpkin

Donald L Mann

Ellis E Maxon

Hurcel N McCutchen, Jr

Charles E McKnight

Gene D McLain

LeRoy A Melberg

Kenneth A Moor

Ollie L Moor

Daniel N Murray

Kenneth  Mushrush

Darrell L Nelson

Robert N Renner

Archie W Ringwald

Ben  L Ringwald

Billy R Ringwald

Charles L Ringwald

Robert F Ringwald

Gene L Ritter

Richard N Robey

Raymond  Rollins

Carl W Rose

Edmond J Rutter

Benny R Shaffer

Lewis Leroy Shurtz

William O Simma

Robert "Bob" Sloan

Lloyd  Stollings

Porter A Stollings, Jr

James R Stropes

James A Tadlock

John  Thompsen

Dick  Thrasher

Jack K Vassar

William B Walsh

Kenneth  West

Noel E Wilcoxson

Joseph  Wilkerson

Albert W Wolf

Bob E Womack

Grady R Woods

Elmer Eugene Woody

William  Zurivitza

 Cold War

 Dickie  Lore

Jerry K Webb

 Vietman

Robert L Allensworth

Herman  Almendinger

Glenn  Anderson

Robert L Ardrey

Raymond  Arnold

Rick  Baker

Donald  Bales

Bobby  Barrons

Robert P Bartram

Edgar D Bell

Ronald L Bostian

Robert  Bouliman

Johnny M Bowyer, Sr.

Ben H Boyer

Doyle  Brake

Alan  Brown

Larry P Brown

Ron  Burch

Cecil Wayne  Burrow

Paul  Burrow

Warren  Burrow

Jack H Carnefix

Rick  Clark

Gary K Cole

Grady L Cole

Victor L Coleman

Dean L Colton

Robert W Constien

Oliver W Crews

Tony  Cundiff

Robert W Darby

Thomas W Decker

Jack  Dodgion

Tommy  Dodgion

Bill  Driskel

Max D Edmondson

Daryl  Evans

Curtis L Foutch

Charles F Fulton

John  Fultz

Merrill C Gates

Johnie L George

Johnie L George Jr

Bill  Graves

Bruce  Griffin

Everett  Gunkel

Don  Hall

Gerald D Hall

James A Hall

Kenneth D Hall

Sam L Hamilton

Robert L Hammock

James  Hardnack

Jim  Hargrave

Charles  Harmon

Robert L Hert, Jr.

Edmond R Hites

William M "Mike" Hodges

Jack L Holbert

David L Holbrook

Jack  Huff

Steven P Inscore

Clifford A Johnson

Larry  Johnson

Michael L Johnson

David H Kautz

Charles M Kelly

Robert  Kerns

Terry D Kinzie

Jon  Kucko

Jim  LaFollette

Dale  Lane

Lon M "Bud" Lawrence

William "Bill" Layes II

Robert E Leigh

Leon E Lewis Sr.

Stephen A Little

Randy  Lowe

Teresa  Lowe

Don A Lyon

William G Maddux II

Robert  Maloy

Ross E Mandeville

Virgil L Mansfield, Jr

Jerry  Martin

Claude S Maxwell

William G Mayfield

James A McLauchlin III

Michael  McWherter

James E "Ed" Miller

Terry A Moor

Verlin L Moor

Richard  Moore

Lee Ray  Murlin

Allen  Murphy

Jerald K Nickels

Ray E Norrie

Chuck  Ottaway

Curtis  Owens

Edmund  Pankau

Roy B Parsons, Sr.

Steve  Perkins

Harry A Petermann

David  Pock

Darrell  Porter

Johnny Lee G Price

Johnny Lee  G Price, Jr

James Edward Prothro

Rick E Quarles

Tommy  Reeder

Warren  Reynolds

James H Ringwald

Troy F Ringwald

Dennis  Roberts

Richard L Rogers

Jim  Rose

Terry J Rose

Victor C Roubidoux

Frank T Rutledge

Larry C Savage

Robert J Schrock

Stephen "Pete" Seikel

Roy L Sharpton

Jerry  Shipley

Guy  Short

Billy R Simerly

Riley  Sine

Owen T Sissons

Donald  Sloan

David  Smith

Kenny R Smith

Kennard  Spillars

Roger  Spillars

Leon  Spiva

Alfred E Stanton

Earl R Stanton

Fred  L Stanton

Gary L Stanton

Michael W Stanton

Robert  Teter

James R Tomlinson

Jim  Troxel

Joe  Tully

James R Vandegrift

Allen D "Shorty" Vassar

Everett A Vassar, Jr.

Carl  Wampler Jr

Bill A Webb

Gene M Webb

John E Weems

Carl  West

Earl Ray  West

Palmer S Westfall

Gene  Whittam

John L Wilson

Lawrence D Winchester

Max L Woodring

Jimmy E Wyant

Lyle D Youngker

 Grenada

 Panama

Robert  Chesney

 Persian Gulf

 Lance E Bloyd

Brandon L Hise

Michael L Hornberger

Mark  Irwin

Nathan A Johnson

Michael E Meadows

Corey K Nickels

Billy  Nottingham

Leroy O Ringwald

Scott R Stropes

Bosnia

Jason  Bowyer

Afghanistan

J Benjamin Beverage

Kendall G Brown

Kevin M Brown

Joshua P Encinas

Joshua O Everett

Phillip F Fryman

Jason  Galt

Lance G Gosney

Scott A Hagerty

Gary  Haynes

Melissa S Holbrook

Linden  Kinder

Chance J Mills

Jordan M Morris

Don  Phibbs

Matthew L Quarles

Iraqi Freedom

 Jeremy  Brooks

Lance  Easley

Michael A Fagan

Sarah  Feken

Joshua A Hume

Michael W Hume, Jr

Whit  Oyler

John A Riley

Allan  Wall

 Global War On Terrorism

Cody R Abernathy

James P Gill

Angela L Jantz

James R McGlasson

Peace Time

 Jodie C Armstrong

Earl  Bain

Jack C Bain

Elton C Baird

Jack L Baker

Richard L Bane

H S Barger

Charles A Bartholomew

William E Beamer

Kenneth R Beaver

James O Belcher

Joyn H Beyer

George T Bickell

Elaine  Black

John D Blackwell

Sharon K Blair

D T Bledsoe

Hurley E Blumer

Jasper L Bostian

Jack  Bowyer

Jim  Bowyer

Michael  Bowyer

Bert  Bradley

William A Bridges

Joseph H Brooner

Donnie  Brown

Ed C Brown

Rockie  Brown

Troy  Brown

Robert  Burden

John F Burnett

Raymond M Burnett

Robert E Burnett

John  Castine

Billy W Cavanaugh

James C Cawley

William W Cherry

Marvin E Clapp

Merl  Cole

Dewy  Corley

John W Corley

Billy R Courtright

Norman D Courtright

William D Courtright

Paul F Cruse

Charlie E Curtis

Frank E Darby

Robert E Decker

Phil  Deisher

Fred W Demoss

Doug  Dollar

Curtis  Doolan

Roy E Doolan

James I Drake

F E Eades

Frank  Eades

Matthew  Eades

Tim  Eades

Todd  Eades

Will  Elliott

Rollie  Ely

John A Emerson

W B "Blackie" Evans

Collin  Fagan

Frank  Fagan

Marland D "Dennis" Fagan

Phillip R Fagan

Richard A Fagan

Roscoe R Fagan

Shelby  Fagan

Robert  Fagan Sr

Will  Farrent

Ray  Fitzpatrick

George  Flohr

Kenneth L Floyd

Richard  Frame

Cecil J Frick

Edwin  Fulk

Eugene F Fulk

Galen F Gates

Louis D Gates

Ray  Gazaway

George T Gipson

Earl W Groom

Larry  Hall

Lawrence  Hampton

Roy  Harrall

Robert E Havel

Lynn  Hazelbaker Sr

Boby J Henigman

Paul A Herrod

Dale  Hewitt

Harry  Hoggard

Alan D Holbrook

Lowry D Holbrook

Joseph S Holsinger

Charles R Hornberger

Richard T Hornberger

William L Hornberger, Jr

Ray E Hosselton

Freddie L Houston

Lonnie M Houston

Jacob  Hubbard

Bill  Hughes

Earl E Hughes

Harold  Hughes

Cleo E Hullet

Chrstopher R Hurst

Tommy  Hurst

Gilbert L Ingham

Charles E Jackson

James H Johns

Albert F Johnson

Raymond A Johnson

Dale E Jones

John  Keys

Graham S Kime

John S Kirby

John D Klinger

Johnny  Knight

William A Knipe

Donny  Kramp

George  David Layes

Everett W Legate

David  Lester

Scott  Lester

James  Lewis

Robert A Lewis Jr.

Billy J Lile

Henry O Livergood

Walter D Livergood

Billy  Lukinbill

Eddie  Martin

George  Martin

Lance  Martin

Ralph  Martin

Terry  Martin

Troy C Maxwell

John W McCaslin

Edwin S McFarland

James E McGee

Justin  McKee

Jack R McKnight

Johnnie R McKnight

Harry  McQuown

Roy  McQuown

A D Mercer

Luther  Molloy

Noah  Monroe

Roland  Moon

Howard F Moor

Thomas  Moore

Victor R Morris

Robert  D Morrison

William D Morrison

Herman E Moss

Charles  Murlin

John S Murrell

Kenneth A Nelson

Richard A Nelson

Dale W Newport

Oscar E Nottingham

Jerry D O'Kelly

Cecil P Osborn

John N Peter

Henry S Petty

Frank  Phillips

Ben A Pinkston

Pete  Piotrowski

Larry  Plank

Everett G Poling

Perry  Poling

James G Potter

Eddie F Quarles

Frank K Quarles

Jessie  Rains

Ronald  Rakes

Melvin  Ray

Disney H Reece

Kenneth  Reid

James  Rentfrow

John  Rentfrow

Leon  Reynolds

Lewis W Rice

Jack  Richie

Kenneth A Ringwald

Ronald A Ringwald

Charles H Ritter

Gordon E Rosenquist

Billy J Sanders

Steven R Sanders

Ronald R Sanders, M. D.

Greenberry  Satterfield

Bill  Scott

Harold E Seifert

Cleve  Shelton

Melvin N Shenold

Ronald  E Shirley

Ron  Sholar

John D Simerly

Henry  Slater

Jimmy  Sloan

Charles C Smith

Charley H Smith

Edgar H Smith

Kenneth V Smith

King  Smith

Frank  Spillars

Harold N Stites

Loyd S Stites

Willie P Stites

Bob  Story

Rachel  Surine

Rick  Surine

John  Sutterfield

Billie Sue  Taylor

James  Taylor

Bill  Tomlinson

John C Tull

Bill  Turner

Elmo E Turner

Barney L Turnham

William P VanZandt

John W Vermillon

Robert E Vickers

John C Wagner

Charles  Wall

Dale C Waltman

Lyman C Waltman

Ora L Waltman

Mike  Webb

Robert W Webb

Harland B Wells

James W Wells

Richard H Wells

David O West

Jimmy  West

Leonard D Westfall

Leo  Whitmore

Tommy  Wiggs

Reginald E Wolfe

Lance J Wolff

Everett A Wood Jr.

Edgar L Woodring

Jesse C Woodson

Larry  Wyant

Robert  Wyant

   The memorial also recognizes the victims and survivors of a mid-air crash south of Perkins on April 27, 1951.    A North Ameican P-51D Mustang (44-84973) collided with a B-36D (49-2658) while conducting gunnery training passes near the town of Perkins, Oklahoma.
   Following is a synopsis of the Air Force Accident Report:
   Aircraft Commander Major Charles Crecelius, Pilot Major William Apgar, and Co-pilot Captain Harold Barry, a crew of thirteen, and a civilian observer took off from Carswell AFB in B-36D, 49-2658 of the 436th Bomb Squadron of the 7th Bomb Wing at 8:00 A.M. on April 27, 1951. 49-2658 was an element in a flight of three B-36Ds. Their mission included bombing practice at the Midland, Texas bombing range followed by gunner training with a simulated air attack by North American F-51D Mustangs near Oklahoma City.
   Four Mustangs from the 185th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron took off from Will Rogers Field in  Oklahoma City at 1:20 in the afternoon. They climbed to 20,000 feet altitude to intercept the bombers. They made a series of passes by the bombers to give their gunners practice tracking real airplanes. Training began with a series of high side passes. Then the B-36D reversed course for a series of high frontal passes.
  Major Crecelius flew the B-36D straight and level at 20,000 feet altitude. One of the regular gunners was back at Carswell AFB occupied by other duties, so Crew Chief MSgt. William Blair was invited back to the rear compartment to man the lower left gunner station.
   Each Mustang flew past the B-36D, headed the same direction as the bomber, and then made a 180 degree turn to approach it from the front. The gunners aboard the B-36D tracked the F-51Ds with their General Electric manufactured gun sighting mechanisms, shooting pictures instead of bullets.
A flight of two Mustangs piloted by Captain Robinson Risner and 1st Lt. Fred Black made a high frontal pass on the bomber. The gunners estimated that Captain Risner's Mustang passed less than 100 feet below the wing of the B-36D. Radio Operator TSgt. Albert Wolf commented over the intercom, "Man, he nearly hit the props". In the rear compartment, Crew Chief MSgt. William Blair exclaimed, "He went between the props, didn't he?"
   As Lt. Black approached in his F-51D, Wolf asked, "What's this guy going to do?"
   The gunners in the rear compartment never saw Lt. Black's Mustang, but they felt the collisoin. The F-51D hit the fuselage of the B-36D on the top left about nine feet back from the nose. The Mustang broke into two big pieces and lots of small chunks and burst into flames.
   The three surviving Mustang pilots saw two flaming objects tumble away from the B-36D. The B-36D porpoised for several seconds and pitched up into a steep climb. Then it fell off to the left into a spiral dive.
   Flight Engineer 1st Lt. Elroy Melberg manned the lower left gunner's station in the rear compartment. His first attempt to head for the exit hatch was thwarted by the web safety straps that connected his parachute harness to the floor. Precious seconds passed as he struggled to unclip his parachute harnesses from the safety straps. He had to use both hands to unfasten the clips as the pitching of the B-36D kept throwing him off balance.
   Gunner TSgt. Milton Hewitt was in the lower right gunner's station across from 1st Lt Melberg. TSgt. Hewitt refused to wear his parachute pack and had ridiculed crew members who wore them. His first impulse was to get to the bunk where he had left his parachute pack.
   Crew Chief MSgt. William Blair was giving Gunner TSgt. Milton Hewitt a replacement gun film canister when the collision occurred. MSgt. Blair injured his left leg as he was thrown against the bunks by the impact. He grabbed the exit hatch, but it would not open against the compartment pressurization.
   . Blair called to TSgt. Hewitt to open the emergency pressure dump valve, but Hewitt was trying to get to his bunk to retrieve his parachute pack. They ran into each other as Blair reached for the pressure dump valve.
   Gunner TSgt. Dick Thrasher occupied the upper left gunner's station. He had been aboard B-36B, 44-92075 when the crew was forced to bail out over Vancouver Island on February 13, 1950. Gunner TSgt. Ellis Maxon sat across from TSgt. Thrasher in the upper right gunner's station. They climbed down the ladders to the exit hatch as the gyrations of the crippled bomber flung them about.
   MSgt. Blair dumped the pressure in the compartment and TSgt. Thrasher pulled open the exit hatch.  TSgt. Thrasher lay down on his left side next to the exit hatch, grabbed the edge of the hatch and rolled himself headfirst out through the narrow opening. Having never bailed out of an airplane before, MSgt. Blair paid careful attention to TSgt. Thrasher's method of egress, intending to copy his moves.
   MSgt. Blair assisted 1st Lt. Melberg to release his parachute harness from the safety straps. He found the exit hatch blocked by the seven-foot long wooden dip stick that was used to measure the amount of fuel in the tanks. He moved the dip stick out of the way, but it fell across the hatch again. He injured the fingers of his right hand in the effort to get out the hatch. He crawled under the dipstick and stuck his head out the hatch.
   At that moment, the tail section of the B-36D ripped away from the rest of the fuselage from the bottom to the top at the forward bulkhead of the rear crew compartment. TSgt. Maxon, 1st Lt. Melberg, and MSgt. Blair were thrown from the rear crew compartment as it ripped open. TSgt. Hewitt was last seen trying to get his parachute pack from his bunk, but he did not survive the crash.
   The air around the survivors was filled with falling metal debris. One of the turret bay doors struck the shroud lines of MSgt. Blair and the tail section tumbled past him on the way down.
   1st Lt. Melberg's parachute shroud lines struck him in the throat as his parachute opened. His disorientation and the nausea from the pain caused him to vomit repeatedly during the descent.
   The chest strap and quick release button of TSgt. Maxon's parachute hit him in the face and throat as his parachute opened, but he was too relieved to have escaped from the airplane to notice any pain.
   None of the twelve men in the forward compartment were able to escape from the falling bomber as it spun to the ground:
Aircraft Commander Major Charles Crecelius
Pilot Major William Apgar
Co-pilot Captain Harold Barry
Navigator Major Aurther Burmeister
Radar Observer Major Robert Renner
Radar Observer Captain William Walsh
Radar Observer Captain William Zurivitza
Flight Engineer Ernest Cox, Jr.
Radio Operator TSgt. Nathan Fetters
Radio Operator TSgt. Albert Wolf
Radar Mechanic TSgt. Edward Ennis
Civilian Observer Benedict O'Conner
   Wreckage from the B-36D fell across 3-1/2 miles of Oklahoma pasture land, ten miles south of the town of Perkins, Oklahoma and 37 miles north northeast of Tinker AFB at 1:41 P.M. CST. The F-51D impacted 12 miles south of Stillwater with 1st Lt. Fred Black still in the cockpit.
    The four survivors saw several other empty parachutes descending with them. They were unable to control the oscillation of their parachutes. Each of them hit the ground in an uncontrolled fashion. TSgt. Maxon landed in a 3-foot deep ditch and injured the medial meniscus of both knees. As he was dragged a short distance by his parachute, he suffered abrasions to his right knee, contusions to his left thumb and the left side of his neck, and a laceration to his scalp. MSgt. Blair's parachute dragged him a few feet after landing, and he suffered additional abrasions on his leg, abdomen, and lower left eyelid. TSgt. Thrasher and 1st Lt. Melberg also suffered rough landings.
   MSgt. Blair landed just 100 yards from the home of a civilian oil company employee. The civilian got his company car and drove Blair to the place where TSgt. Maxon and 1st Lt. Melberg had come down. Melberg looked pretty beat up, so the civilian took him and Blair to the doctor in Perkins, Oklahoma. TSgt. Thrasher and TSgt. Maxon were picked up by officers of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and were also transported to the doctor in Perkins.
   The fuel tanks in the wings of the B-36D ruptured when it hit the ground. The gasoline erupted in flames, but a large portion of the fuel drained down the hill away from the crash. The resulting grass fire burned about 8 acres. It burned itself out before emergency vehicles from Tinker AFB arrived at the crash site approximately two hours after the crash.
   The parachute and billfold of one of the deceased crew members on the B-36D were found 40 miles northeast of the main crash site.


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