Tenino VFW, American Legion chapters partner with South Thurston County Historical Society to reestablish 'Honor Roll Plaque'

The Chronicle, Centralia, Wash.
·2 min read

May 13—After it was first built in 1944 to honor Tenino and other South Thurston County veterans who served during World War II, the Honor Roll Plaque was taken down in 1962 so it could be repaired, but it was never put back up and was eventually lost to time.

Now, Tenino VFW Post 5878, the VFW auxiliary and American Legion Post 69 in Tenino are partnering with the South Thurston County Historical Society to build a new Honor Roll Plaque, according to a news release.

The new Honor Roll Plaque will be faced with three types of sandstone — Tenino, Wilkinson and Pennsylvania blue — and will be about 11 feet long, 7 feet high and 4 feet wide at the base.

It will not only include the names of WWII veterans like it did before, but veterans who served from 1913 until 2012.

"This covers the first 100 years of Tenino 'Union' High School," the release stated.

It will be located by the Tenino Quarry Pool, and the names of service members will be engraved on brass plates, which represent the different armed services.

A granite panel will be placed on top of the Honor Roll Plaque reading "Honor Roll, Tenino and Vicinity, Thank You for Your Service."

Funding for the project is coming from grants and donations from those in the South Thurston County community. Donors can purchase bricks in the Honor Roll Plaque, which can be engraved with any name they wish.

"The names can be of donors, family or business names and do not need to be a veteran," the release added.

Those interested in donating toward the project can get an engraved brick for $100, or make a family or business donation of $1,000 and have their name engraved on another granite panel being installed.

For more information on how to donate and to get a donation form, visit the following locations in Tenino:

—VFW Post 5878, 285 Sussex Ave. E

—Tenino Depot Museum, 399 Park Ave. W

—Tenino City Hall, 149 Hodgden St. S

—The Iron Works Store, 224 Sussex Ave. W

To learn more about the project, call VFW Post 5878 at 360-264-5420.