Catholic World War II vets on new memorial: It's about time

Published: 2004-05-20

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- World War II veterans say it's about time a memorial honoring their service and that of their fallen comrades be built. After years of wrangling over its design and the site for it, the memorial will be dedicated May 29. The structure lies east of the Reflecting Pool in the shadow of the Washington Monument on the National Mall. Three Catholic veterans of the war residing at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington said in interviews with Catholic News Service they would be at the dedication if they could. "It's about time" for a monument, said Jewell Miggins, 80, who served stateside in the Women's Army Corps in Illinois while her late husband fought in the Pacific theater. "The government spends money on everything else." Joseph Kuhar served in Europe in the Special Service unit of the armed forces, a select group of 109 enlisted men who assisted in mounting entertainment for the troops. Kuhar, 87, said of the memorial, "I think it should have been built a long time ago. I don't know who objected to it -- probably because it was prime property on the Mall." Robert Cooper, 81, stayed out of combat as a Navy mechanic fixing airplanes, first in Florida and then at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He "very definitely" thinks it's time for a memorial to honor World War II's fallen.

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