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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  Davidson County WWII and Korean Veterans Memorial, Lexington. Photograph courtesy of Natasha Smith.

  • Monument Name

    Davidson County WWII and Korean Veterans Memorial, Lexington

  • Type

    War Memorial

  • Subjects

    World War II

    Korean War, 1950-1953

  • City

    Lexington

  • County

    Davidson

  • Description

    A rectangular copper plaque contains a figure of an eagle and lists the names of those killed during WWII and the Korean War from the surrounding area. A smaller plaque just below it lists those killed in the Korean War.

  • Inscription

    Top plaque: IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO MADE / THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN WORLD WAR II / AND THE EARLY DAYS OF THE KOREAN CONFLICT / [Three columns list the names of 178 local men.]

    Erected by the Joint Veterans Committee / American Legion, V.F.W., AmVets and D.A.V.

    Bottom plaque: KOREAN WAR
    ELMER LEE LYNN
    DEVIN FRANKLIN FISHER
    ELBERT S. SNIDER
    JAMES A. LATE
    BUDDY EUGENE VANHOY
    MARVIN M. ASHBY
    CARL B. JONES
    JAMES BARNEST FLOYD
    CARL VERNON HUNT
    JAMES CHARLES REECE
    WILLIAM COCKRANE
    GEORGE FURR, JR.
    CHARLIE F. CAGLE

  • Dedication Date

    Early 1950s.

  • Decade

    1950s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.823980 , -80.252820 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      "Lexington WWII & Korean War Memorial - Lexington, NC," Waymarking.com, (accessed December 4, 2014) Link

      Borden, Sidney, Steven Chickos, and Daniel Jourdan. "The Korean War: North Carolina's Commemoration of the 'Forgotten War'," uploaded February 4, 2014, YouTube, (accessed February 4, 2014) Link

      Edwards, Deneesha. “Fallen Soldiers Honored at Ceremony, Two Local Names Placed on Memorials,” The Dispatch (Davidson, NC), May 29, 2011, (accessed July 1, 2011) Link

      Ignasiak, Darrick. “Lexington Event to Honor Fallen Navy Seal, Korean War Veteran", The Dispatch (Lexington, NC), May 27, 2011, (accessed November 16, 2019) Link

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Granite marker, bronze tablet, brass plaque

  • Sponsors

    The Joint Veterans Committee (American Legion, V.F.W., AMVETS, and D.A.V.)

  • Location

    The Lexington Square located at the intersection of Main and Center streets is home to the Historic Davidson County courthouse along with several memorials and markers. The Confederate Dead monument stands in the southeast quadrant of the square, at the intersection of S Main and E Center streets. The northeat quadrant (intersection of E Center and N Main streets) hosts memorials to Davidson County Vietnam War and Afghanistan Veterans, WWII and Korean Veterans, and WWI Veterans who died in the Great War. A marker to Daniel Boone and Nathanael Greene stands on the northwest quadrant (intersection of W Center and N Main streets) right by Captain Benjamin Merrill and City of Lexington memorials.

  • Landscape

    Bushes and trees surround the quadrant with memorials.

  • Post Dedication Use

    A brass plaque was added to the WWII monument sometime after the mid-1970s as a memorial to the veterans of the Korean Conflict, in which 12 Davidson County men were killed.

    On Sunday May 29th, 2011 the Davidson County Veterans Council's hosted the 66th Annual Davidson County Veterans Memorial Service at Lexington Square. The name of Josh T. Harris, a US Navy Seal who died in 2008 combat operations in Afghanistan was added to this monument. The name of Charlie F. Cagle was added to the appropriate plaque on the nearby World War II/Korean War marker. He was killed during the Korean War but his remains had been recently found and returned to the United States.

    The Davidson County Veterans Council holds annual Memorial Day services at Lexington Square in downtown Lexington.

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