Organizers are hoping to build a World War II memorial in Michigan.
The Michigan World War II Legacy Memorial would be built in Royal Oak's Memorial Park along Woodward Avenue.
The memorial would honor Michigan's role in building what FDR called the "Arsenal of Democracy" and the men and women who served. From the group's website:
Michigan has a unique history to share when it comes to WWII. More than 600,000 residents served in the armed forces. These included the fabled 32nd Infantry “Red Arrow” Division who were among the first American soldiers to meet the enemy and went on to establish the longest combat record of any American division in the war.
The Royal Oak Daily Tribune reports the group has raised $3 million to build the memorial. Debi Hollis is the president of the legacy group:
Hollis said state lawmakers designated Memorial Park as the site of Michigan’s official WWII monument on Feb. 5 and corporate sponsors can be sought now in earnest. On Thursday, Wright & Filippis officials confirmed they will help, Hollis said. IBM and the Million Dollar Round Table are providing grants, she added. "We have a really lofty fundraising goal but so is our goal for this tribute to Michigan," Hollis said. "We want to honor the servicemen and women, and show the contribution of the home front — everything from the huge production of tanks, weapons and aircraft to the life vests made in Petoskey and the iron ore mined in the Upper Peninsula."
