How would a relatively small town memorialize fallen military personnel? During World War I, many towns found differing ways to remember and memorialize citizens who were killed in action. This was done through the dedication of statues and monuments, as well as through building useful structures such as recreation centers and schools. During World War II, the names of those killed were merely added to the list of names on the memorials. As I read about these memorials earlier in the semester, I thought of my hometown, Port Clinton.
Sorry for the distorted picture, but this building is Bataan Memorial Elementary School. During World War II, a group of men volunteered from Port Clinton. What made this group of men important to the community is that they were a part of the Bataan Death March. None of them returned. As a way for the town to remember them, the Port Clinton City School District dedicated this elementary school to remembering the fallen.
It is difficult to see in the picture, but near the flag pole is the actual memorial with a list of all the names of those who died. Each year, the school puts on a program and memorial service. Since the school district downsized in recent years and all pre-k through fifth graders in the district attend Bataan, perhaps the district hopes to better tell the history of those who died. But, other than that, not much is told in the community about the legacy of the event and its connection to the town.
Sources: Winter, Jay.
The Great War In European Cultural History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1995. (Chapter 4: War memorials and the mourning process).
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