McKinney Veterans Memorial

McKinney VFW Post Commander, Jim Alton Nichols, presents a check for $2000 to City Councilman Bill Vitz as a donation to the
Veterans Memorial Park in McKinney

$50,000 has been donated to the
Veterans Memorial in McKinney by
O&S Holdings LLC
of Santa Monica, California.
O&S is the real estate developers responsible
for the Bridge Street Town Centre located
at the intersection of Hwys 121 and 75.
The site will include the
McKinney Convention Center,
Collin County Higher Education Center,
Westin Hotel and more.

Thanks to the employees of
LEGACY TEXAS BANK
with help from
RICK'S CHOPHOUSE
for a donation of $3063 presented at the
City Council meeting on 20 May, 2007.
Go Here

MicKinney ISD Student Councils
raised $1400 for the Memorial
(click on picture for large view)

Memorial Mystery
Go Here

GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY
Veterans Day 11 November, 2007
To view the program
Go Here

Veterans Memorial Park in McKinney
By R. D. Foster

In the summer of 2003, I was at the American Legion Hall in McKinney, playing a show there with my band. During one of the breaks I was talking to a couple of guys I knew that I hadn’t seen since high school, and one of them ask me, "Whatever happened to Bill Bryan?"

I was stunned! Bill Bryan had been killed in 1968 in Vietnam. Bill and I had gone into the Marine Corps together in June of 1966, two weeks after graduation from McKinney High School. I was one of the lucky ones to have gone to Vietnam and came back in one piece. Bill, however, did not. The fact that Bill had sacrificed his life for our freedom, and the possibility that he had been forgotten really bothered me. I decided right then and there to do something about that.

I had always wanted to be a writer, and had just finished my first book, a novel about Vietnam. Knowing there was an infinite amount of information to be gathered on the Internet, and I, being a novice at working with computers, recruited an old friend of mine, Linda Phillips to help. In the following weeks and months we found twenty men from Collin County, thirteen of whom had lived in McKinney, who had died in Vietnam. While in the process of doing that research, we extended our interest, and as of April 2006, have identified the names of over 300 Collin County men who died in war, from WWI to the war in Iraq.

In the early 1970’s, Collin County began the transformation from basically a rural farming economy to the cosmopolitan area it is rapidly becoming. I would dare say that ninety percent of the people who live here now have never heard of any of those heroes, other than Audie Murphy. Linda, and I decided we would push for a memorial to be built to honor them. She recruited a friend of hers, Veda Babb, and we wrote letters, sent e-mails, and made phone calls to members of the county government, and basically hit a brick wall. There was no interest whatsoever. It was very depressing. We then redirected our focus to the City of McKinney. Some of our emails were answered, though the enthusiasm that Linda, Veda, and I shared was obviously not there.

Everything changed when Linda made a phone call to newly elected City Councilman Bill Vitz. Bill was all for it. The wheels began to turn, however slow, they were still turning. The first official meeting was held February 20, 2005. Along with Councilman Vitz, John Kessel-Executive Director Community Development Services, Rod Tweet-Recreation Superintendent, and Ron Dumpke from the Parks Department were there representing the city. Linda, Veda, Trina Foster, and I were there to present our ideas. The idea was subsequently presented to, and approved by the Parks Board, which paved the way for a committee to be formed and to actually lay out the plan. On Tuesday April 18, 2006, the McKinney City Council approved funding for a McKinney Veterans Memorial. The dream has become reality.
McKinney Veterans Memorial Committee:
Bill Vitz
Gilda Garza
Linda Phillips
Ronnie D. Foster
Veda Babb
Judge Bill Dowdy
Charlie Phillips
Linda Smith
Bill Smith
George Webb
Beth Larsen
Clinton Tennill Jr
Gene Sera
David Allevato
City of McKinney Representatives:
John Kessel
Rod Tweet
Steve Brainerd

This page will be updated as we move further in making the McKinney Veterans Memorial a reality.

CITY OF McKINNEY, Texas

RESOLUTION NO. 2006-________

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF McKINNEY, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE MEMORIAL TO VETERANS OF THE CITY OF McKINNEY TO BE LOCATED IN THE CRAIG RANCH TOWNE CENTER.

WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of McKinney, Texas has determined the need for a memorial to the veterans of the City of McKinney; and,

WHEREAS, the City Council approved the budget on October 19, 2005; and,

WHEREAS, the City desires to locate the memorial to the veterans of the City of McKinney in the Craig Ranch Towne Center.

NOW, THEREFORE, E IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF McKINNEY, TEXAS, THAT:

Section 1. The City Council of the City of McKinney, Texas accepts Craig Ranch Towne Center as the location for the memorial to the veterans of the City of McKinney.

PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF McKINNEY, COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS ON THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF APRIL 2006.

City of McKinney
______________________

BILL WHITFIELD
Mayor

ATTEST:
____________________________
SANDY HART, CMC
City Secretary

BEVERLY COVINGTON
Deputy City Secretary

APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________________________

MARK S. HOUSER
City Attorney

These are the five proposed sites, and how the decision on the final location was arrived.
(click on pictures for large view)

1 CRAIG RANCH

Pros:
City Park Property
Private maintenance supplemented with city funding
Visibility
Opportunity for construction const supplements
(my comments- The layout is very similar to the mall in Washington DC. It will be a great place to hold parades, concerts, family picnics, etc..., and still maintain the honor, dignity, and serenity, such a memorial should have. It is easily accessible for all, and will have restroom facilities close by. Twenty-four hour access-Security would not be an issue.)
Cons:
Parking
Expansion
(my comments-I originally preferred the location to be in the old part of town. However, after carefully studying all the locations, I thought this would be the best place. One hundred years ago, old McKinney was the town square; one hundred years from now this memorial will still be standing, and will be in old McKinney.)

2 CORNER of COLLEGE & WILSON CREEK PARKWAY

Pros:
City Park Property
City Maintenance
Parking
Expansion
Mature trees on site
Cons:
Visibility
No water feature at site
Close proximity to vehicular traffic
(my comments-Security is the main problem here, and no restroom facilities. The site would be very restrictive for large gatherings, parades, etc...)

3 TOWNE LAKE SOUTH PENINSULA

Pros:
City Park Property
City maintenance
Parking
Visibility
Surrounding water
Vertical element contrasts with horizontal
Restrooms available
Concessions available
Cons:
Paddleboat dock location
Underground gas line
(my comments-Towne Lake was our original choice. However, the only way to get to the site is by foot. This would make it very hard for the disabled and the elderly to get to it. Due to the gas line that runs underneath, it has very stringent restrictions attached. Plus, as most of know, the lake floods quite often.)

4 ERWIN PARK

Pros:
City Park Property
City maintenance
Parking
Expansion
Pastoral setting
Cons:
Visibility
No master plan for Erwin Park
No water feature nearby
(my comments-The restrictions attached to the property make it very limited to what can be built there. The purpose of the park is to maintain a pristine area, which I support wholeheartedly. I think we should leave the park as it is.)

5 WILSON CREEK GREENWAY

Pros:
City Park Property
City maintenance
Parking
Expansion
Cons:
Visibility
(my comments-Security is my main concern. There are people in our society who wouldn't think twice about taking a can of spray paint and defacing something like this. The Throckmorton statue on the square is a prime example. Plus this is a floodplain.)

The Mystery of the
Collin County War Dead Memorial of 1951
By R.D. Foster

In the midst of doing research for the names of Collin county men who had been killed in war, I came across this article form the McKinney Examiner.

McKinney Examiner
June 23, 1951
Tribute To Collin War Dead

Fallen heroes of Collin County were paid high tribute at a public memorial and unveiling ceremony held Friday afternoon at 4 o"clock on the East side of the public square. The program, under the auspices of the Woodmen of the World camp of this city was largely attended and well received.

E. B. Lyons of Denison, district manager for the W.O.W. presided over the impressive program presenting as speakers for the afternoon county Judge Bill Parker of Hunt County, who spoke on "Our debt of gratitude to the boys who have made the supreme sacrifice." Frank Davis, who will speak in behalf of veterans organizations of this county, and the dedicatory address by Hon. R. E. Miller of Omaha, Neb., vice-president of the W.O.W.

The statue to be unveiled will include names of those men who lost their lives from this county in World Wars I and II and the Korean War up to the present time. The Firing Squad, Bugle corps and Military band from Perrin Field, at Sherman, assisted with the program and McKinney Eagle Scouts will be on hand to raise the colors.

The program which lasts for one hour will be broadcast over Station KMAE, McKinney.

The article was confusing to me, as part of it was written in past tense and part in future tense. My question is: Was there a statue dedicated on the east side of the square or not? If it was, what happened to it? Any information you may obtain from some of our older citizens would be greatly appreciated.

On April 29, 2006, I spoke with Helen Hall, probably the person who knows more than anybody about the history of McKinney and Collin County. She remembered the presentation, and the monument. According to her, a tree was planted, and next to it was a granite or cement column with the names of the war dead engraved. She doesn't know whatever became of it.


Looking from west to east.	From south to north.	SW to NE.	South to North.


Present Colors - US NAVY	RD Foster points out the location of the Memorial	T. J. Grant; Tamara Cottle (daughter of James Malone KIA Vietnam); Gilda Garza; Kay Clifton	Congressman Ralph Hall	Kay Clifton (sister of Robbie Robinson KIA Korea)

Phyllis Broomfield (Mother of Johnny Craver KIA Iraq) TA6 Texans preparing for flyover.	Travis Grant	Danny Hoffman (Brother of Charles Hoffman KIA Vietnam)	RD Foster; Mayor Bill Whitfield; Congressman Sam Johnson, Ralph Hall, Rev. Rickey Hargraves	Retire Colors

This is the artist's drawing of the projected memorial and the surrounding buildings (click on for large view)

On 5 August, 2008, the McKinney City Council selected seven residents to be members of the McKinney Armed Services Memorial Board: David Allevato Natalie Delaroche Jim Nichols Linda Kay Clifton Ralph French Curtis Rath Ronnie D Foster


East to West.	NE to SW.	West to East.