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The Kenwood War Memorial

KENWOOD, OK - The Kenwood community erected a stone and brick memorial honoring more than 150 local veterans who have served in the military since World War II.

The project was initiated by community members to honor their own.

"150 veterans is a lot for a small place like Kenwood", said Forman Ross, a community member who helped raise money for the project. "We're very patriotic, just a bunch of farm boys, a bunch of old country boys answering the call."

The effort to build a memorial started seven years ago. Since then, the community has taken donations and had several fundraisers to get the material to construct the memorial.

"We got $500 from an ‘unknown general’, who didn’t want us to use his name", Ross said. "We also got money from Chief (Wilma) Mankiller and the current Chief (Chad Smith). But mainly the money came from benefits and (fundraiser) basketball tournaments."

Kenwood is a Cherokee community, with a long history of working together to help one another, Ross said.

"You want to talk about volunteers, I got ‘em", Ross said. "So many people helped out with this project, even ones that aren't veterans. John and Sally Backwater, when I say 'let's have a tournament', they put it on right quick. Vernon Chancellor is another one and of course my wife Emma."

Ross, who was an Army paratrooper for 27 years, said while the memorial is for all Kenwood veterans, it is special for the men and women who served in World War II.

"Every other war has it’s own monument", he said. "Us Vietnam guys have the wall, but there never was one for World War II vets."

More names will be added to the memorial in coming months.

"We're still answering the call today", Forman said. "We've got four over in Afghanistan right now. Kenwood’s had a soldier in every conflict from World War II right through to today, including Grenada."

Principal Chief Smith, who attended the opening of the monument, said the memorial served two noble purposes, honoring veterans and bringing the community together.

"The Kenwood community is working together, getting together and taking care of each other", Smith said. "That's what the Cherokee Nation has always been about, and that spirit is still alive today in Cherokee communities like Kenwood."

Smith and Ross also alluded to the high percentage of Native Americans who have fought for the United States. Ross had his own anecdote describing the reasons why so many Cherokees serve in the military, especially during times of war.

"When I was in 'Nam, I had some fellows tell me, 'you're Indian, you don't have to be here', Ross said, laughing. "I told them, I'm the one that needs to be here. You guys can all go back to Europe or the old country, but America is the only country I've got."