‘We fought for liberty:’ Michigan WWII vets welcome memorial

By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER
Associated Press

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) — Officials in Michigan have broken ground on one of the few state-specific World War II memorials in the country. The first phase of the memorial includes the laying of more than 1,200 donated Walk of Honor paver bricks and the installation of both a statue called “Joe,” which depicts a soldier in a foxhole reading a letter from home, and flagpoles representing all military branches. The groundbreaking took place Thursday in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak. Future phases are to feature a Wall of Stars honoring the 15,000-plus Michigan lives lost during World War II; additional statues, including one dedicated to Rosie the Riveter; an amphitheater and a colonnade of pillars. The memorial is recognized by the Legislature as the state’s tribute to the war.