Vietnam Veterans across the state of Georgia are one step closer to having a memorial park right here in Central Georgia.
Jacob Reynolds was at Monday night’s Warner Robins City Council meeting when they approved another part of the project.
Tom McLendon and his group of Vietnam Veterans have been waiting years for approval on their Vietnam Veterans Memorial park.
On Monday, they got a step closer.
“Well it means quite a bit because the money the mayor and council approved tonight, that is the heart and soul of the memorial,” McLendon said.
The city approved spending $173,250 for a black granite memorial wall.
The wall will feature the names of the 1,584 Georgia soldiers killed or still considered POW/MIA from the Vietnam war.
McLendon says names will be grouped by city and town, so visitors can find them easily and spread the word.
“And then they may see another name down there that might look familiar and when they get back home then they might get in touch with those people and say listen is so and so kin to you? If they are, you need to go down to Middle Georgia to see his name on the wall,” McLendon explained after the meeting.
The money for the wall will come from the nearly half a million dollars the city allocated for the entire project last year. The original allocation came from recreation SPLOST funds.
Warner Robins leaders are still trying to work out the details on the land deal for the park's eventual spot near Russell Parkway and I-75.
Councilman Tim Thomas told the group he knows they've been waiting.
“It's been a long road for you, I know that, you and I have had many conversations, but I hope you see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel now,” Thomas said during Council comments.
The group already has two memorial statues completed for the park.
Mayor Randy Toms says he hopes the land issue is worked out quickly within the next few weeks.