War Memorial dedication ceremony is July 4

Cities of the Lafayette area will host a rededication ceremony of the Lafayette War Memorial at noon on Sat., July 4. The memorial is located in Bluebird Park (225 Kiefer Creek Road in Ellisville.

The Memorial, originally built in 1981, was dedicated on July 4, 1981, for those soldiers from the Lafayette area who died in WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam, and a granite monument displays their names. 

The newly-designed and relocated memorial, which will display the American flag, the Missouri flag, and the P.O.W. flag, now recognizes the five branches of the United States Armed Forces with the respective military seal cast in bronze, and encased in the walkway directly in front of the granite monument. Soldiers from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard will participate in the ceremony.

The names of two more soldiers from West County, Army Specialist Peter Navarro, and Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Pathenos, who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, have been added to the monument. The memorial rededication ceremony will honor Navarro and Pathenos, as well as the Navarro and Pathenos families, who will be attending.

The public is invited to attend this special occasion and pay tribute to those service men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the country, as well as to honor all the men and women of the Armed Forces.