A new U.S. military memorial is taking shape in San Diego, and the community will get its first look at the project August 15 on the USS Midway at an event marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The United States Military Liberation of Holocaust Survivors Memorial will pay tribute to the brave U.S. Army soldiers who liberated Nazi concentration camps, as well as honor and acknowledge the U.S. Army’s unsung history in San Diego. The memorial also will remember those who were killed in concentration camps and celebrate the survivors who were rescued by the U.S. military.
“San Diego had a strong Army presence during World War II, and we need a memorial acknowledging the U.S. military’s ongoing commitment to fighting for freedom and fighting against genocide worldwide,” memorial board President Mark Powell said. “The brave United States Army soldiers who liberated concentration camps saved countless lives.”
Mark Powell and his brother Frank, both native San Diegans and local real estate brokers, are spearheading the memorial project, and they have assembled an impressive group of supporters and advisers to move the memorial forward. Board members include David Bark, underwriting counsel at First American Title Insurance Co.; Scott Meltzer, senior rabbi of Ohr Shalom Synagogue; Daniel Guefen, owner of MG Mortgage; Sara Brown, a doctoral candidate in Holocaust and genocide studies; as well as Frank Powell, broker at Discovery Property Group, and Mark Powell, adjunct professor at National University.
A model of the memorial, built by the Powell brothers and based on a rendering created by artist Tony Gambucci, will be displayed on the deck of the USS Midway Museum during a free community event at 6 PM, Saturday, August 15, hosted by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Tuna Harbor Park, just off Harbor Drive near the USS Midway, is the location proposed for the permanent memorial, and former San Diego City Councilman Byron Wear has signed on as an adviser to help navigate the process for Port District approval.
“Our goal is to place the memorial adjacent to the USS Midway Museum,” Frank Powell said. “We chose this location because the Army’s connection in San Diego is just as strong as the Navy’s connection. The United States Army played an enormous and vital role in San Diego during World War II and it should be acknowledged for its contributions.”
*Event: Celebrate the end of WWII and preview the new WWII memorial with Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Saturday, August 15, 6 PM, on the Flight Deck of the USS Midway. Admission is free. Visit http://www.midway.org/WWII-Event for more information.
Note1: The United States Military Liberation of Holocaust Survivors Memorial, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in San Diego. www.MilitaryLiberation.org
Note2: The San Diego Union Tribune published a related story at http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/aug/07/holocaust-memorial-kiss-statue-embarcadero/.
Source: Mark Powell, markpowellhomes@hotmail.com
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