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11/19/07 |
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Welcome to the World War II Memorial Web site!The following is a brief history of the development of the World War II Memorial being constructed in Providence.
PROPOSED WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL FOR RHODE ISLAND
A long overdue monument honoring the 96,000 Rhode Islanders who served in WW-II is being built in Memorial Park on South Main Street in the City of Providence across from the Governor Licht Judicial Courthouse. The location setting of the Memorial is south of the World War-I Monument in a green open space surrounded by a grove of trees near the Providence River.
The design selected is in the form of a circular colonnade 16-feet in diameter with eight granite round columns, 14-feet high spaced 3-feet apart to accommodate wheelchair bound handicapped people to access the monument to view the engravings. The inside face of the column bases will be inscribed with the major battles and campaigns of the war. The granite floor of the monument will exhibit the world flat-map or Mercator map showing the matching number reference of the war's major battles.
Crowning the Monument will be a 4-feet wide granite capital and cornice. The monument will rise 18-feet above the granite floor surrounded by an 8-feet wide granite walkway and a 3 feet high granite circular retaining wall and a 4-feet wide planter and floral strip. Along the inside face of the granite retaining wall will be engraved the municipal arms or heraldic seals of the State's thirty-nine cities and towns, and displaying the number of their citizens, men and women, who served in the war.
The entrance of the Memorial will be flanked by two granite pylon walls, 4-feet high by 20-feet long, inscribed with the honor roll names of the 2560 war casualties of Rhode Island service men and women. Contemplation benches will be placed in front of the honor roll wall. Granite Memorial benches will be set on the grass landscape surrounding the memorial.
The wording tribute for the Memorial is eloquently stated:
Here we honor 'The Greatest Generation " the men and women Who fought and won World War-II, then came home, settled in and made America the strongest nation in the world.
December 7, 1941 - August 14, 1945
The theme of the WW-II Monument is:
To Remember - To Honor - To Enlighten
This WW-II Memorial will radiate a great sense of pride and patriotism among Rhode Island war veterans, their families, relatives and friends; especially as they view the honor roll memorial of the State's fallen heroes; and the heraldic seals of their cities and towns, highlighted by the number of the townspeople who proudly served their country during that global conflict. The monument will be historically significant and educational, and hopefully will instill a better understanding and appreciation of the great sacrifices made during that period of our nation's history by "The Greatest Generation".
Joseph T. Corrente of the City of Cranston, a veteran of WW-II and the Korean War developed the idea and concept of the monument and memorial. Gates, Leighton and Associates, Inc., Landscape Architects of East Providence, R. I., Riverside Stone Co., Seekonk, Mass., Paul Cavanaugh of Paul King Foundry, Johnston, R. I., are providing professional services. Consultants to the project are: Cornerstone Communications Group and the Mayforth Group.
Approval for the project location was obtained from the City of Providence and other agencies that have jurisdiction over location of monuments and objects in Memorial Park. Endorsements and rave reviews for the project have been received from the R.I. Historical Society, The R.I. Council on the Arts, Providence Redevelopment Agency, The Providence Journal, R.I. National Guard, and statewide veteran groups. The Providence Preservation Society has reviewed the design model of the monument and expressed support for its location in Memorial Park as a compliment to the World War-I and Korean War Monuments.
Contributions for the project will be solicited from each of the State's thirty-nine cities and towns, statewide veterans organizations, charitable foundations, corporations, businesses, and the public to help achieve the fund-raising goal of $875,000. The WW II Memorial Commission of R.I. is a non-profit corporation and recognized for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. "Seed money" in the form of a legislative grant of $25,000 has been received from the R.I. General Assembly.
An ambitious timetable is to hold dedication ceremonies in the Spring of 2005. Unveiling ceremonies of a display board showing an illustrated drawing of the proposed WW II Memorial was held on December 8, 2001, the Sixtieth Anniversary of the United States declaring war on Japan. |
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This site was last updated 09/24/07
