Fundraising campaign seeking more money to build redesigned Perry MIA memorial
Feb. 7—The location has changed for a new memorial in Perry that will honor military service men and women who are missing in action.
In addition, Perry American Legion Post 697, which is spearheading the project, has redesigned and increased the size of the memorial.
Post Commander Tom Anderson recently announced that it will be built on the grounds of the Perry Historical Museum in Perry Village. Initially, it was slated to be constructed at Center Road Cemetery in Perry Township.
Original plans called for the MIA memorial to be situated adjacent the cemetery's current veterans memorial.
However, after Anderson and his fellow organizers deliberated more about the pros and cons of the site, they decided to explore alternative places.
"We discussed four different options and agreed that the Historical Museum location was clearly the best option," Anderson said. "The new location is considerably more visible to the community and it's rich in history."
The museum is located at 3885 Main St. The building is owned and operated by the Perry Historical Society.
Anderson said that veterans have assembled outside the museum on Memorial Day for ceremonies "as far back as our most senior veterans can recall."
Through historical research he's conducted, Anderson said he also believes that many Civil War soldiers may have gathered on the property, as the Perry "town house" was located there until about 1875.
The MIA memorial will be located at the northwest corner of Main Street and Center Road, on the museum's lawn near the current flagpole.
"Our goal is to build a fitting memorial to express our gratitude to the brave young men and women who gave their lives and remain missing in action," Anderson said.
The memorial was redesigned in November for installation at the new site.
"It will be considerably larger and will contain more historical background on MIAs," Anderson said.
The American Legion post began raising funds in early 2023 for the MIA memorial that was planned for Center Road Cemetery. The monument, which stands 50 inches tall, already has been completed and purchased.
"The current plan is to install the monument prior to Memorial Day and build the remainder of the memorial around it," Anderson said.
He noted that an additional $80,000 must be secured to finish construction of the expanded memorial. Post 697 launched online and direct mail campaigns in December to raise the extra funding.
The overall cost of the memorial is $125,000.
Other components of the memorial that will be built outside Perry Historical Museum are:
—Six granite panels, each 6 feet tall by 30 inches wide. Each panel will represent a branch of the U.S. armed forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force and Coast Guard.
—Six granite benches.
—Brick pavers that are 8 by 4 inches or 8 by 8 inches will form the circular base of the memorial and walkway leading into the display. The pavers will honor military service members who were declared missing in action.
—Granite markers, each 16 inches wide by 8 inches high. Markers that pay tribute to veterans who are missing in action will be placed inside the memorial circle. Those honoring other veterans will be placed along the walkways outside the MIA circle.
Businesses, nonprofit groups or organizations, individuals and families are invited to either submit general donations toward the memorial, or pay to sponsor key elements of the display.
Financial contributions can be made online through the project's GoFundMe account, or by mailing checks to American Legion, Perry Post 697, P.O. Box 215, Perry, OH 44081. All donations are tax deductible.
Anyone with questions about the MIA memorial may contact Tom Anderson at 330-352-5378 or email perryalpost697@gmail.com.
