New memorial park in Oklahoma honors WWII veterans
KSNF/KODE — There’s yet another reason to head to an area resort, especially this Memorial Day holiday.
The “Legacy of Liberty World War Two Memorial Park” was opened and dedicated Friday morning on Monkey Island.
“Memorial Day is not about hot dogs and hamburgers, it’s about honoring the people who gave their lives for our freedom, and I wanted it on this weekend to tie things together,” said Barry Willingham, president, C.E.O., Monkey Island Resort.
The park features a life-size replica of Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima, several actual World War Two vehicles, and pieces of equipment used during the Second World War.
Only the P-51 Mustang fighter plane is a replica.
There are also statues of actual soldiers at each display whose descendants still live in the area.
“It’s the key connection to make the human element come alive that this isn’t something you saw in a movie or you saw in a history book, this is connected to people that are right here living today and that’s to me creates the human element of reality for it,” said Willingham.
“It’s not about any one of us, my dad would probably not even want to be recognized here, there was something about the humility of that generation, he never really talked about the war, I’m so proud to be a part of this and for his statue to be here,” said Paul Bulton, a descendant of World War II veteran.
“Oh very proud, this is actually Captain Gibbs, my grandfather in WW II, he got ashore in France, went down South France and up north to the uh Frankfurt, and was assigned a P.O.W camp for Germans who surrendered, and out of Frankfurt he took over a Luftwaffe base and was a captain there,” said Edward Gibbs Jr., a descendant of World War II veteran.
There’s also a display on Native Americans and the tribes they came from who served as code talkers, relaying critically important military communication the Axis powers were never able to break.
Willingham wouldn’t give a dollar figure on the price tag for the park, but says there are several million dollars invested in the facility.
He says ground was broken back in February and construction wasn’t finished until about ten o’clock Thursday night.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
