JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A grassroots effort led by local veterans to establish a national POW/MIA museum at Cecil Field will mark a milestone on Friday.
They’ll be marking the kick-off of phase two of the four-phase plan to construct the memorial and museum with a commemoration ceremony.
The push began in 2016 with plans to establish a museum at Cecil Field.
It started with a desire to renovate and restore the Chapel of the High-Speed Pass near the airfield, but quickly grew to include plans for the first national POW/MIA museum and memorial.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Retired US Navy Captain Ed Turner is the Executive Director of the National POW/MIA Memorial.
“We’re always asked why Jacksonville?” said Turner.
Turned argued there’s a good reason to put the museum and memorial in Jacksonville.
He explained the iconic POW/MIA flag was actually commissioned by a Northeast Florida mother, Mary Hoff, whose husband, Commander Michael Hoff, was stationed at Cecil Field.
Commander Hoff went missing after his plane was shot down over the skies of Laos during the Vietnam War.
“That flag now is not only a national symbol, but it’s really a worldwide symbol that’s recognized. So, that started here,” said Turner.
Good progress has already been made on the project.
The Cecil Field and Legacy Plaza & Memorial next to the newly renovated chapel currently includes three iconic jets that once called Cecil Field home, including an F/A-18 Hornet, A-7 Corsair II, and the latest addition, an S-3 Viking, which just arrived on site earlier this month.
A fourth jet, the A-4 Seahawk, is expected to arrive later this year.
Inside the newly renovated chapel, there are collections of models, artifacts, and photographs paying homage to Cecil’s history.
There are also rooms dedicated to the plight of prisoners of war, including a recreation of the make-shift prison cell of one Vietnam POW and artwork painted by POWs.
The POW collection will eventually be housed in a yet-to-be-constructed separate facility.
“We’re finishing up with phase one, and we’re gonna move into the clearing and the start of phase two,” said Turner.
There are also plans for a reflection pool and POW/MIA memorial, which will display the names of the more than 80,000 US service members who have still not made it home.
“Not only to give tribute to and honor those who sacrificed, but also to recognize them and keep their name alive. To never forget,” said Turner.
So far, the effort has been funded with private dollars, but this year, there’s half a million in the state House budget to help kick-start phase two.
There’s also been federal legislation proposed that officially designates the site as a national memorial.
“With the help and the support here locally in Jacksonville, but then working it into the national agenda, I think it will be very helpful,” said Turner.
If you’d like to get involved or donate to the museum and memorial effort, you can find more information here.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
