WWII Memorial Looks To Break Ground In Royal Oak In Spring 2022

ROYAL OAK, MI — The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial looks to break ground in Spring of 2022, the nonprofit said.

The memorial site is planned for Royal Oak's Memorial Park at 13 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue. It will honor the 15,458 Michigan soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during war and highlight the role the state's people and companies played in the war effort.

The group's board approved plans for the first phase of construction, which will include laying over 1,200 Walk of Honor paver bricks, installing the first full-sized statue and flag poles representing all branches of the service, as well as pouring the footings for the Wall of Stars and future statue scenes, the group said.

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The approval also includes the allocation of funds, working with a general contractor and an application for permits from the City of Royal Oak, the group said.

Both State Representative Jim Ellison and State Senator Mallory McMorrow have been instrumental in the development of the group's project, as they helped secure funding for the project.

"I am especially proud to have secured $50,000 for the Michigan World War II Legacy Memorial project in Royal Oak to recognize Michigan’s contributions to the war effort," Ellison said.

The group's next goal is to raise funds to complete the Wall of Stars honoring the 15,458 Michigan lives lost during WWII.