A Memorial To All Ulster County Service Members Who Have Made The Ultimate Sacrifice
Kingston, NY – An inspiring Memorial to honor all fallen heroes of Ulster County was dedicated today to memorialize Ulster County Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great Country. Ulster County Executive Michael Hein and the Veterans Advisory Committee were joined by Veterans; Gold Star Families; Federal, State and Local Officials; and the community to dedicate the Ulster County Memorial Roll of Honor, a stunning tribute located at the front entrance of the Ulster County Office Building. In July of 2014, County Executive Hein tasked his Veterans Advisory Committee to design and research a memorial to all of Ulster County’s heroes who gave their lives in the armed services. The Roll of Honor lists the names of those heroes dating back to the beginning of our Country and was dedicated on May 24, 2015.
“The United States of America is the greatest nation on earth thanks to our brave men and women who serve to protect our life, liberty and freedom,” said County Executive Hein. “It is an honor to dedicate this Memorial Roll of Honor, listing the names of 1,307 service members who have died in combat, dating from the Revolutionary War to the present. It is equally important to remember the families of our fallen soldiers who have also made the ultimate sacrifice. This memorial will now serve as a single location where every man, woman and child can have the opportunity to pay their respects.”
County Executive Hein continued, “This was a huge undertaking which would not have been possible without the help of area Veterans, the City of Kingston, Ulster County Towns and the community; and on behalf of the 182,000 residents of Ulster County, I want to thank the Ulster County Veterans Advisory Committee, and all who participated in making this Memorial Roll of Honor a reality. I also want to recognize the Gold Star Families who are here today paying tribute to their loved ones. Though no monument or words can truly express the debt our nation owes to you, or return your loved ones home, this monument serves as a daily reminder of the sacrifices as well as the recognition that our freedom has never been free. Today we have a memorial that will recognize the names of our local heroes from this day forward, and I pray that not one more name will ever need to be added.”
American Legion Ulster County Commander Ira Weiner
“It was a privilege to be part of this historic project to honor to all of the fallen soldiers in Ulster County and I appreciate County Executive Hein’s vision and efforts in making this a reality,” said American Legion Ulster County Commander Ira Weiner. “The County Executive wanted this to be a veterans’ project from beginning to end because he felt we had earned that right. Thanks Mike, because of you, we got it right.”
Ulster County Legislator Jeanette Provenzano
“The Ulster County Memorial Roll of Honor will now serve as an enduring tribute to our fallen soldiers where people can come and pay their respects,” said Ulster County Legislator Jeanette Provenzano. “It was an honor to serve on the Veterans Advisory Committee as this project was very near and dear to my heart, having two brothers that served in the United States Navy in WWII and one brother that gave his life and received the Bronze Star for bravery in action while fighting for our country in the Korean War. We should always support our veterans and I appreciate County Executive Hein’s continued commitment to our veteran community.”
The Ulster County Roll of Honor includes the names of all 1,307 service members, who either were killed in action or who were missing in action in all conflicts from the Revolutionary War to the present. The names are meticulously engraved into five large, polished black granite stones arranged in a pentagon, which is the symbol of leadership incorporated into the design of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The polished black stone was chosen to follow the design aesthetic of the Vietnam War Memorial. In the center of the monument stands a Battle Cross, or fallen soldier marker started in the Civil War as a way of identifying bodies on the battlefield before they were removed. The Battle Cross is made up of the soldier’s rifle with the bayonet stuck in the ground, topped with the helmet, the dog tags hanging off the rifle and the boots of the soldier alongside. Its’ meaning is to show honor and respect at the battle site. The Battle Cross was donated by Bill Nugent from Woodstock Harley Davidson.
In addition, a computer kiosk is located just inside the front door of the County Office Building and will allow visitors to look up specific service member names. A special Ulster County Memorial Role of Honor mobile app has also been created that will allow visitors to do the same. Charcoal and paper will also be available for etchings.
Members of the County Executive’s Ulster County Veterans Advisory Committee are as follows: Ira Weiner, Harold Rosenkranse, Mike J. Decker, John W. Nilsen, Barbara J. Bishop, John G. Wenig, Tony Marmo, Karl Conboy, Bob Chappelle, Mark Woinoski, Bill Forte, Rick Olund, Jay Wenk, Lamont Taylor, Maggie Schoonmaker, Shirley Anson, Richard Hepner, Robert Anson, Former Ulster County Legislator Wayne Harris, Ulster County Historian Anne Gordon, Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack, Ulster County Director of the Veteran Services Agency Steve Massee, Ulster County Deputy Director of the Veteran Services Agency Keith Bennett, Ulster County Deputy Commissioner of Department of Public Works Brian Cunningham, and Ulster County Legislators Jeanette Provenzano, Lynn Archer, Herb Litts, and Mary Wawro.
The Ulster County Memorial Roll of Honor is located directly in front of the Ulster County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, in Kingston, New York.
