The Birth of a Vision | Dedication Day Agenda | Construction Progress | Vets Signed Up to Date | Submit Your Vet | Contact Us

Special recognition and thank you to:
Michael Foss of Design and Drafting Associates of Tucson Arizona and
Mike Davis of Mikes Specialty Concrete as General Contractor and overall Consultant.

The Birth of a Vision

The vision for the Watertown Veterans Memorial started as a coffee time conversation between Laurel Foss, a Korean War Army Veteran, a recipient of the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and a member of the DAV and LeRoy Anderson, a 20 year Navy veteran from the Vietnam era and Commander of the DAV Chapter #6, back as far as 2003. The Memorial’s birth began on a beverage napkin and was later enhanced by Laurel’s nephew Michael Foss from Arizona, who drafted the initial copy.

Foss and Anderson approached the Park and Rec. Dept., looking for land to build the Memorial. After a couple of rejections the final location became the northwest corner of Stokes-Thomas City Park on the shore of Lake Kampeska. In 2004, Foss returned to Arizona and between he and his nephew, Michael, they drew the first full scale plans for the project with clearer images of what the memorial will look like.

Since that time Anderson and Foss formed a Veterans Memorial Committee, Lynn Johnson representing the VFW, J Maurice Redmond representing the American Legion, Ordean Bierman representing the Marine Corp League and Richard Stricherz a member of the DAV. Through the efforts of the Committee the project is moving forward. The ground breaking ceremony was September 2, 2005 at 2 p.m. at the Stokes-Thomas City Park. Mayor Paul Fox served as Master of Ceremonies.

Working with Watertown Monument Rock of Ages Memorials, computer images were created. The memorial will be crafted out of 17 sections of Black Mist granite, from the Rock of Ages quarries in Barre, Vermont and St. Peters, Pennsylvania. The two outer sections, each measuring four feet by four feet, will be a listing of the sponsors who helped make the vision possible. Behind these two sections will be the Dedication Day Dignitaries and the Veterans Prayer. Moving towards the center on either side is a four foot by twenty foot section with some military graphics and names of veterans, branch of service and years of service. The center section measuring four feet by twenty feet will also feature veterans and military graphics. On the back side will be more military graphics and veterans names with the exception of the very center 4x4 section which is reserved for our National bird, the eagle. We will be able to list 2240 veterans names on the wall.

The flags will represent the branches of the military and veterans organizations. The POW/MIA flag is outside the main portion of the memorial, but is attached by a chain, symbolizing that they will never be forgotton. The chain will theoretically go under ground from the POW/MIA flag and will emerge inside the memorial and be connected to the world globe.

There will be 19 strategically placed benches in and around the memorial that will provide a resting place for visitors throughout the memorial. These benches were sponsored by families and companies in the Watertown area in support of the memorial.

The Committee thanks everyone who had an effort in helping with this memorial.

Veterans Memorial

August 25, 2007 - 1400 hours

Good afternoon and welcome, please rise, if your able,  for the raising of the U.S. Flag.    (Presented by the VFW)

Veterans and Color Guard-(Attention-Present Arms-Drum roll---Order Arms)

Detail-Forward March-

Color Guard-Post Colors-Present Arms-Order Arms

Veterans and Color Guard-Present Arms

National Anthem---------------------------------------------------- soloist AnnRae Herr
Accompanied by Mellissa VandeStrot

Pledge of Allegiance---- Allan Zenden, Boys Scout Troop 8 ----Order Arms----

Invocation-----------Rev. Bill Hamill, Saint Dysmas Lutheran, State Penitentiary.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
(A moment of silence for all POW’s and MIA’s)

Please be seated

The Battle Hymn of the Republic----------------------------------soloist Ann Rae Herr

Introduction of Mayor Paul Fox

Final Announcements----------------------------------------------------Ordean Bierman

God Bless America----------------------------------------------soloist  Robbyn Givens

All Rise for the Closing Prayer-----------------------------------------Rev. Bill Hamill

Remain Standing for Taps and the Retirement of Colors-Veterans-Present Arms

Taps---- (taps echo)—Order Arms --Color  Guards --Retrieve Colors

Carry Colors—Left Wheel March

We  hope  that  you  will  take  time  to  enjoy  the  Memorial  and  the  children’s  playground

Construction Progress

Click images for a larger view.

Map to Site	The future site of the Veteran's Memorial, Stokes-Memorial City Park	The foundation for the black granite	The flag pole foundations	Eight black granite blocks completed and ready for installation
		The Story of the Chain	Granite blocks in place.	Installation of the granite blocks.
The globe in the center of the Memorial	The front view of the Memorial	Color Gurard	The rear of the wall	The dignitary granite block
Col Leo Thorsness, featured speaker	Col Leo Thorsness	Governor, Mike Rounds	The POW flag

Veterans Signed Up To Date

Individuals List (Alphabetical)
Family Groups List
Second Alphabetical Listing

Lists are in PDF format.

Submit Your Vet

We will continue to take names for inclusion on the wall. If you would like to submit a vetran's name, Click here to Submit Your Vet.

Contact Us

Watertown Veterans Memorial
P.O. Box 2
Watertown, SD 57201
Email: Ordean Bierman