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KANSAS CITY ASKED TO HOST CEREMONY MARKING LAST
WWI VETERAN'S DEATH -- World War I Liberty
Memorial deemed fitting site.
Liberty Memorial, Kansas City
Story here...
http://www.belleville.com/mld/
belleville/news/state/17012125.htm
Story below:
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KC asked to host ceremony marking last WWI
vet's death
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With only a few known U.S. veterans of World War I
still alive, the question has arisen: Where should the ceremony to mark
the last veteran's death take place?
As the nation's only World War I monument, Kansas City's Liberty
Memorial has moved to the top of the list.
The recent death of Lloyd Brown, a Missouri native who was the last
known surviving World War I Navy veteran, left only three known U.S.
veterans of the "War to End All Wars." There could be others, however,
who never applied for benefits and are not listed with the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
All of the three known veterans are over 100 years old, meaning time is
running out to plan the ceremony to mark the last veteran's passing.
"Generally, if you're going to honor someone's passing, you do it within
30 days of their interment," Liberty Memorial executive director Steve
Berkheiser said. "To not do it within 30 days of passing, you miss your
window."
The VA in Washington has contacted Liberty Memorial officials, asking if
the memorial's National World War I Museum could host the commemoration.
"I said yes, but that would require national-level planning," Berkheiser
told The Kansas City Star. "The Department of Defense would be the lead
agency, I would think."
There are several logical partners for the ceremony in the Kansas City
area, home to the national office of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The
city also is close to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas.
Berkheiser said Liberty Memorial officials would start the process by
contacting Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., and Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.
USA Today reported last week that Canada is considering a state funeral
when the last of its three remaining World War I veterans dies. The
newspaper also reported that Britain, which has seven living veterans,
plans an elaborate ceremony in Westminster Abbey to honor all of its
World War I veterans after the last one dies.
Information from: The Kansas City Star,
http://www.kcstar.com
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Larry Scott --
