Veterans’ memorials can be found all over the Silver State. They are well deserved. They honor individuals who served the nation, and also commemorate battles and events regarding the many military anniversaries in Nevada.
The Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery here houses many veterans’ memorials all contained in a specific area. But what if one day it was learned that it was going to be moved across town. Little notice, no debate, the government just said it was going to be moved. Would the townsfolk agree?
Several years ago in Las Vegas, Gov. Sandoval agreed that a veterans’ memorial should be established in that city. A design contest was held, a winner was chosen, and the state came up with funds to have it built. Many sites were viewed, and it was determined that it should be constructed on the grounds of the state’s Grant Sawyer building. It’s a beautiful memorial, almost a city block wide, with sculptures of U.S. veterans of various wars. No doubt many Las Vegas veterans and their families have visited the memorial.
Recently, the Sawyer building has undergone some negative press. Some of the occupants say that there are structural problems, and a few state departments are planning to move to other locations, including the Nevada Dept. of Veterans Services. Somewhere along the line, it was determined that the memorial should also move.
According to some veterans, the state wants to move it to the Veterans’ Cemetery in Boulder City. Many of them are against that.
Vince Palmieri, a Marine veteran, has started a petition to not move it to the cemetery. “The memorial is not just for us veterans,” he said. “It serves as a public display that reminds everyone of the sacrifices made by brave men and women who served our country. If we move it to Boulder City, its visibility will be significantly reduced, limiting its impact to those visiting their deceased loved ones.”
He goes on to say that having the memorial in a prominent place like Las Vegas helps educate our younger generations about the importance and value of service. “It’s not just a piece of stone — it’s a symbol that carries stories worth telling, and lessons worth learning.”
If the state wanted to move the current Boulder City veterans’ memorial in the cemetery to, say, Henderson, what would the residents say? More than likely, they would say “No!” That’s what the Las Vegas residents are saying.
For more information, contact Palmieri at vince@purpleheart711.org.