Napa Valley Register - War Dead To Be Honored In Napa On Saturday
September 26, 2012
By Chantal Lovell
The city's newest veterans memorial will be dedicated Saturday to honor of county residents who died while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Everyone is invited to attend the dedication ceremony, which begins at 11 a.m. in Veterans Memorial Park at Main and Third streets in downtown Napa.
“It is important to me to acknowledge the loss of these local heroes and recognize the sacrifice they have made,” said Alyssa DeBenedetti, the recent Napa High graduate who proposed the monument and collected roughly $12,000 to make it a reality. “I hope the community will come out and help honor these men and women on Saturday morning.”
On Tuesday, city crews mounted plaques on the base of the memorial, each bearing the name of one of the six Napa County residents who was killed overseas. They are:
- Marine Staff Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan, 24, of Napa
- Marine Corps Lance Corp. Phillip West, 19, of American Canyon
- Army Pfc. Jennifer Cole, 34, of Napa
- Army Spc. Chase Stanley, 21, of Napa
- Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Darrik Benson, 29, of Angwin
- Army Spc. Garrett A. Fant, 21, of American Canyon
The memorial sculpture, a 4-foot-tall bronze depiction of a Battlefield Cross, will be placed on the concrete stand at the park's southwest corner sometime prior to Saturday's ceremony, said Parks Superintendent Dave Perazzo.
The sculpture will feature a rifle with attached bayonet stuck in the ground, topped by a helmet, symbolizing a fallen soldier.
The corner was the former home of the popular “Fish On” sculpture by artist Terrence Martin. That piece will be placed on the Riverwalk three blocks farther south as part of the Napa River Inn's expansion.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Mayor Jill Techel are scheduled to speak at Saturday's dedication, DeBenedetti said. Chaplain Katrine Reed will give the invocation and the Golden West Brass Quintet is slated to perform. The California Army National Guard will post the colors.
The Napa City Council first approved the memorial in February, then reconsidered that decision in April after some residents questioned aspects of the memorial, including whether it should be placed on a busy downtown street corner and whether a gun should be included. The council affirmed its decision.
In addition to the Soldier's Cross, the memorial will feature a digital component that will allow those with smartphones to scan a code on the memorial and view a video about the life of each service person included in the memorial.
Everyone is invited to attend the dedication ceremony, which begins at 11 a.m. in Veterans Memorial Park at Main and Third streets in downtown Napa.
“It is important to me to acknowledge the loss of these local heroes and recognize the sacrifice they have made,” said Alyssa DeBenedetti, the recent Napa High graduate who proposed the monument and collected roughly $12,000 to make it a reality. “I hope the community will come out and help honor these men and women on Saturday morning.”
On Tuesday, city crews mounted plaques on the base of the memorial, each bearing the name of one of the six Napa County residents who was killed overseas. They are:
- Marine Staff Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan, 24, of Napa
- Marine Corps Lance Corp. Phillip West, 19, of American Canyon
- Army Pfc. Jennifer Cole, 34, of Napa
- Army Spc. Chase Stanley, 21, of Napa
- Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Darrik Benson, 29, of Angwin
- Army Spc. Garrett A. Fant, 21, of American Canyon
The memorial sculpture, a 4-foot-tall bronze depiction of a Battlefield Cross, will be placed on the concrete stand at the park's southwest corner sometime prior to Saturday's ceremony, said Parks Superintendent Dave Perazzo.
The sculpture will feature a rifle with attached bayonet stuck in the ground, topped by a helmet, symbolizing a fallen soldier.
The corner was the former home of the popular “Fish On” sculpture by artist Terrence Martin. That piece will be placed on the Riverwalk three blocks farther south as part of the Napa River Inn's expansion.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Mayor Jill Techel are scheduled to speak at Saturday's dedication, DeBenedetti said. Chaplain Katrine Reed will give the invocation and the Golden West Brass Quintet is slated to perform. The California Army National Guard will post the colors.
The Napa City Council first approved the memorial in February, then reconsidered that decision in April after some residents questioned aspects of the memorial, including whether it should be placed on a busy downtown street corner and whether a gun should be included. The council affirmed its decision.
In addition to the Soldier's Cross, the memorial will feature a digital component that will allow those with smartphones to scan a code on the memorial and view a video about the life of each service person included in the memorial.