A war dog now stands guard where generations of sacrifice converge in West Springfield

WEST SPRINGFIELD ― West Springfield has updated its war memorial on the Town Common to honor local heroes who served in wars ranging from the American Revolution to today's fight against terrorism. A new bronze statue now stands at the site, quietly watching over the names of those who died in service.

The memorial will be officially reopened during a special ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at 10 a.m. The event will begin with a ribbon- cutting, followed by a Purple Heart ceremony to honor soldiers who were wounded in battle.

People from military groups such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart will attend, along with local leaders and community veterans. The ceremony will include speeches, a presentation of colors and musical performances.

Marc D. Massey, director of town's Veteran Services who served in the Army, said the updated memorial brings together hundreds of years of military history in one place. "I received a Purple Heart myself, so this means a lot to me," he said.

The memorial now includes space for a future monument for veterans of recent wars, a statue of a war dog, colorful plants that bloom all year, and a walkway that's easy for everyone to use.

The original memorial was built in the 1950s by the West Springfield Lions Club after the Korean War. It first honored those who served in World War I, World War II and Korea. Over time, names from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Vietnam War and the Global War on Terror were added.

"In the 1980s, Vietnam veterans built their own monument across from the library because of how they were treated when they came home," Massey said.

Recently, local veterans and groups like the American Legion and VFW worked together to move that monument to the main memorial site, he said.

The project was a team effort involving the town, veterans' groups, the West Springfield Garden Club and the Veteran Services Office.

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