Leland HS and Chamber sponser Military Wall of Honor
Rendering of the eventual Military Wall of Honor that is set to be located on the front lawn of the library.
By Keri Baldwin
The Leland High School Class of 1963, along with several other graduating classes, have initiated the development of a Military Wall of Honor. The Wall is co-sponsored by the Leland Chamber of Commerce.
The Military Wall of Honor will honor past, present and future members of the military from all branches of service who lived in the Leland School District and have served honorably. It will include those who served on active duty, as well as those who served in the National Guard or Reserve, or any combination of those.
Class of 1963 members Stanley Anthony and Betsy Pogue Christianson, Class of 1980 member Mark King, and Class of 1968 member Dan McCaskill have been working diligently on the initiative for several months.
Medal of Honor recipient Master Sergeant Hubert Louis Lee, who was a resident of Leland, will be named on the Wall.
Over 2,000 names of individuals from the Leland School District who have served honorably in the military have already been verified.
One of the names on the Wall will be Master Sergeant Hubert Louis Lee, recipient of the highest military award possible, the Medal of Honor. He was honored for his heroic actions in the Korean War. He attended school in Leland and returned to Leland after the war. Not many cities the size of Leland have a Medal of Honor recipient.
The Wall will be located on the front lawn of the Leland Library and will consist of 4’ X 8’ granite panels. Architect Emily Poole is designing the plaza. The panels will accommodate over 5,000 names and can be expanded to cover 10,000 names. Included on the Wall for each honoree will be their name, birth year, rank and branch of service.
Donations for the project are welcomed. Sponsor plaques range from $500 to $10,000, but any donation will be accepted. Organizers challenge graduates from all Leland High School classes to become sponsors for the Wall. Donations can be made by the class as a whole, as well as by individuals. Donations can be tax-deductible.
Details and updates on the endeavor can be found at www.LHSReunion.org or by contacting the Chamber at 662-379-3704.
