PORT ARANSAS, Texas — A plan to build a Port Aransas Veterans Memorial is making some headway. On September 11, during a Nueces County Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners approved allocating $50,676 of Precinct 4 funds for the memorial to be constructed on Nueces County Coastal Parks property.
Long-time Port Aransas resident and veteran, Mark Creighton believes it's an appropriate spot for the project. He says the memorial will highlight those who served in an area filled with history. Port Aransas set up coastal defenses during World War II. In addition, the city was included in the National Park Service's designation of the Coastal Bend as a World War II Heritage Community.The designation is an honor and title only one area in a state can have.
The veterans memorial project is still in the early phases of planning. A design is currently in the works. However, the public is encouraged to provide their input and feedback.
The idea of building a memorial was developed several years ago, according to Creighton. He said community members wanted to honor Dr. William "Bill" Lehman after he passed away. Dr. Lehman, known for his generosity and intelligence, was a physics professor and was once a leader in an Air Force weapons lab. He passed away in 2016 at 91-years-old.
Ambitions of building the memorial stalled for the next eight years, following Lehman's death. However, the recent contribution from the county has given the project new momentum and fresh ideas.
Creighton said, “It’s morphed, I think, into something that’s more proper than just recognizing a single individual and it’s to recognize people who have given service through the military, to our country, and community.”
"I wanted to make sure they had the money for the architect and to get the design going and to say, look we’re going to do this,” added Nueces County Commissioner for Precinct 4, Brent Chesney. "It's just really important, you know, for them to have a constant reminder of how much we appreciate them. And I just think when you have the public display, it just really it cements how much they mean to us."
Several community groups are also involved, including the Rotary Club of Port Aransas and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Creighton says they are still working to raise more money to bring the project to life. The architectural design could be completed before the end of October. Currently, there is no estimated time frame for when construction could begin.
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofmann at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
