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The Cow Creek Tribe of Umpqua Indians host an event to help raise $100 million for the Washington, D.C. World War II Memorial honoring all who served in WW II.
Fund-raiser: Dinner is part of Cow Creeks effort to help with World War II monument
CANYONVILLE--As an era when sacrifice was asked of every stratum of American society, World War II stands out as a turning point even five decades later.
It was definitely a time when people could recognize moral depredations and there was honor in fighting for one's country.
Oddly, there has never been a memorial raised to honor the people who fought and fell while struggling against Germany’s warlord, Adolf Hitler, or the armed forces of Japan. There is nothing to remember the thousands of nameless workers stateside who supplied the troops strewn across Europe and the Pacific.
Saturday night, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians hosted a fundraising dinner to contribute toward a $100 million WW II memorial in Washington D.C.
About 1200 people, including several hundred veterans, attended the $1,000-a-table event in Canyonville.
“Our tribal families were no exception to those sacrifices,” said tribal chairwoman Sue Shaffer at Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino Resort. “Native Americans volunteered in far greater numbers than their proportion to the community. This is a story that must be told."
The national monument project gained presidential approval in 1993 and will be placed on seven acres at the National Mall near the Capitol building in Washington.
The Cow Creek Tribe hopes to raise more than $1.4 million for the memorial effort.
The first national monument dedicated to the 16 million Americans who served during the war and the 400,000 who died, it is funded only by private donations. Construction is set it begin on Nov 11, Veterans Day.
"This is an idea that is so long overdue there is in element of embarrassment,"
said Susan Morgan, State Representative for District 46.
Amidst the salmon and prime rib, memories of the old era were evoked as black and white photos of the fresh young faces of America’s soldiers flashed across the screen. Neatly copped gray haired men turned to their wives, eyes welling with tears. They were suddenly back in 1941, proud of what they were doing but heartbroken at the good-byes.
There was a lot of blood and guts” said Boy Scout Tyler Eberhardt, 12. He is
with Roseburg Boy Scout Troop 56, which helped at the event.
Everyone is glad it's over," he said.
World War II defined how America views itself now, said veteran John Zollinger.
“No war is not ugly. The true military person hates war,” he said. “But we proved we were a people who would not stand by and do nothing.”
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