TRENTON, Mich. – They are men who have accomplished so much, coming together for another mission.
Last year, the city of Trenton purchased the building and land belonging to VFW Post 1888 to make way for a new fire station.
The veterans of that post decided to merge with the Southgate VFW. But when it came to the proceeds from that sale, the veterans decided they wanted to leave a lasting legacy in Trenton, for all of the generations yet to come.
“It wasn’t for our generation, our children,” explained veteran John Craven. “It’s for their children, children, and children, so lasting generations will understand what it is that people give their lives for the country.”
They decided to expand and improve the existing Veterans Memorial.
“The theme was ’250 Years and Beyond of Defending Freedom,’” said Craven.
A dedicated group spent nearly a year designing and commissioning a memorial that both honored those 250 years and looked forward to the future.
It’s a story told in statues.
“At the beginning of our country, there were soldiers called Minutemen, and that’s the soldier on the left of the U.S.A. flagpole,” explained Craven.
“The Minutemen, they were not soldiers, they were farmers,” said veteran Thomas DeMartin. “America did not have an army in 1775. They had a militia. They called it the Minutemen because they were on a minute’s notice. That statue, he’s resting on a farm plow. He was ready to put down his farm tools and pick up his rifle to defend liberty from tyranny.”
The second statue is a modern-day soldier - defending freedom today and onward.
The two statues are deliberately angled toward each other.
“The significance to that is that they’re glancing at one another and they’re saying, ‘Job well done, 250 years of defending this great nation and beyond,’” said DeMartin.
The most striking statue may be the third. It’s a young boy and girl with their hands on their hearts, saying the Pledge of Allegiance. The words of the pledge are written on the plaque in front of them, inviting visitors to join in.
The veterans said the statue was added later in the design process, when they realized they wanted something to acknowledge and include the community’s children.
“The VFW, through all of its years, has always done its best to educate children about what it is to serve your nation, those that give their lives for the nation,” said Craven.
There are also benches with quotes highlighting the cost of freedom and the fragility.
“Unfortunately, most of the American public doesn’t understand how fragile our freedoms are,” said DeMartin. “So hopefully that theme will resonate.”
“The most meaningful is the bench I’m sitting on,” said Craven. “In my heart, it tells the whole story of this.”
On the front, the bench features John F. Kennedy’s famous quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
On the back of the bench, it reads, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13.”
It’s a message the veterans feel deeply.
“We all feel a sense of guilt that we survived. You kind of carry that guilt with you,” said DeMartin. “So you feel like we’re here for a reason. Maybe that reason is we need to give back.”
The heart of the original memorial remains, the 61 names of Trenton service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.
There is also a sixth blank monument. They hope it’s never used, but if necessary, more names can be added.
It’s a visual reminder that freedom is still not free.
“When I was out here the other night, it was pit of my stomach. It’s sobering is the only way I can describe it,” said Trenton city administrator Dean Creech.
VFW Post 1888 worked closely with the city to accomplish the project. The city pitched in funds to help cover additional renovations, including new concrete, upgraded lighting, and releveling of the memorial brick plaza.
“I just can’t give enough credit to the veterans,” said Creech. “I mean, this really was something they came up with, a great idea. The city, the mayor, the council, we were more than happy to pitch in. The effort and everything, it’s extraordinary.”
“It’s been a great project and a great team we got together here,” said Craven.
The veterans of VFW Post 1888 aren’t done. They are still working to refurbish a World War I memorial in a different location and add a statue of a Doughboy there.
As the post approaches its 100th anniversary in six years, they plan to keep building on the foundation of their service.
“We’re going to give back to the city. We’re going to give back to the community. And to the future,” said veteran Frank Burlew.
“Memorial Day is for some people, unfortunately, it’s just the first barbecue weekend or the beginning of summer,” said Creech. “This is a really good reminder of what Memorial Day is all about.”
The Veterans Memorial will be officially rededicated on Saturday, May 23, immediately following Trenton’s Memorial Day parade.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. and ends at the memorial, which is located in front of the Veterans Memorial Library.