WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — With veterans watching on, a bronze sculpture honoring the World War II battle of Iwo Jima was lifted onto a pedestal in Williamsburg Wednesday morning.
The 7,000-pound sculpture will be the centerpiece of a new park honoring veterans at the intersection of Neck-O-Land Road and Jamestown Road.
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The sculpture and park have been years in the making, and were the idea of a Korean War veteran who lived nearby.
They passed away in 2024, but a friend, Lawrence Waltrip, has been spearheading the effort to get the park completed.
A nonprofit was formed, and as of Wednesday, had raised about $700,000 for work on the park.
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“Today’s date is the 26th of March, which is the end of the 36-day battle when the United States took control of the island of Iwo Jima," Waltrip said. "So this is a momentous occasion for us to be able to set this today in honor of our veterans."
But there is still work to be done. Granite panels with inscriptions had to be attached to the base of the monument, and an area on the back side of the monument needed to be developed.
Memorial bricks will also be placed on the ground to honor individual veterans. About $400,000 was needed to complete all of the work that remained. If you'd like to donate, click here.
