City News & Updates

ABOVE: A rendering of the Iwo Jima Memorial that will be installed at Huntington's Memorial Park.

HUNTINGTON -- Local non-profit Huntington Veterans Day 5K Inc. broke ground on Monday, August 19, on an Iwo Jima Memorial honoring the millions of American veterans who served in World War II.

A monument will be installed in Huntington’s Memorial Park adjacent to its north pond. Its unveiling is scheduled for Veterans Day 2024.

The local group has been raising funds for the memorial since 2016 through donations, the annual Veterans Day 5K and its golf outings. Several of the partners designing, building and installing the memorial discounted their services to help make it possible.

Christopher Shortridge, who is a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief and part of the Veterans Day 5K non-profit organization, said an unveiling ceremony is planned for November 11 at 11 a.m.

Iwo Jima is an island in the Pacific and the location of a historic World War II air campaign. The memorial will honor the nearly 7,000 Marines who lost their lives at Iwo Jima and pay fitting tribute to all veterans who took part in World War II.

Of the more than 16 million American veterans who served in World War II, fewer than 100,000 remain alive today.