WWII MEMORIAL PROJECT MOVES AHEAD

Cape Girardeau funeral home director William Kuss plans to do his part to raise money for construction of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Kuss operates Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel and is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, which is seeking to raise $5 million toward the project.

The association, based in Brookfield, Wis., represents over 13,000 funeral directors.

"The funeral service profession's 'Celebration of Freedom' campaign gives everyone an opportunity to celebrate the life of a veteran or home front patriot and ensure that all of us never forget the sacrifices they made so we might enjoy the benefits of freedom," Kuss said.

So far, about $85 million has been raised toward construction of the $100 million memorial. All but $9 million has come from corporations, foundations, schools, groups, individuals and even some states.

"The money is coming from all across America," said Betsy Glick, director of communications for the National World War II Memorial campaign in Arlington, Va.

Although more than 16 million Americans served in uniform and millions more supported the war effort at home, there is no national World War II memorial in Washington.

There are memorials for the Korean and Vietnam wars, and World War I, said Glick.

There also is a famous flag-raising memorial to the Marines who fought against the Japanese in the bloody battle for Iwo Jima. But Glick said that memorial doesn't focus on World War II as a whole.

Over 400,000 Americans lost their lives during the war.

Supporters of the World War II project say there is a reason to act now.

Today, there are fewer than 7 million World War II veterans still living and another 1,000 die each day, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

The World War II memorial will be built on a 7.4-acre site on the National Mall at the east end of the Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

The memorial will feature two large arches and a series of stone pillars, representing each state and territory of the nation as of World War II and will feature enough granite to resurface the Washington Monument.

The memorial will be framed by two waterfalls. The National Mall's Rainbow Pool and its water jets will be rebuilt at the center of the memorial plaza.

Glick said they hope to break ground for the World War II memorial on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 and the memorial could be dedicated in late 2002 or early 2003.

Several bills have been introduced in the Missouri Legislature to help fund the project. In general, the bills would authorize the state to provide a dollar for every Missourian that served in uniform during World War II.

Glick said that would amount to $438,000. One bill in the General Assembly, however, would provide for funding of up to $1 million.

So far, none of the bills have made it through the Legislature.

World War II veteran Roger Durbin started the effort to build the national memorial. Durbin approached an Ohio congresswoman in 1987 with the need for a memorial.

It took Congress until 1993 to pass legislation to establish the memorial. President Clinton signed the bill into law on May 25, 1993.

The American Battle Monuments Commission, a government-funded agency, was given the responsibility for designing and constructing the memorial.

Two years later, Clinton dedicated the official memorial site during a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.

In 1996, architect and Austrian native Friedrich St. Florian's design was chosen from among more than 400 entries.

The Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission approved Florian's revised design in 1998.

In March 1997, Clinton named former senator Robert Dole as national chairman for the project. Five months later, Frederick W. Smith, founder of Federal Express, was named co-chairman.

Both Dole and Smith served in the armed forces. Dole was seriously wounded in World War II.

Still, fund-raising remained a slow process until 1999 and the release of the movie, "Saving Private Ryan."

The movie's starring actor, Tom Hanks, embraced the project and soon the memorial's toll-free donation line was flooded with calls.

"We are on the radar screen and we weren't before that happened," said Glick.

Tom Brokaw's book, "The Greatest Generation," which paid tribute to the World War II generation, also gave the project a boost.

To help raise some of the money still needed for the project, the National Funeral Directors Association is distributing red, white and blue balloons to those who contribute $10 or more to its "Celebration of Freedom" campaign.

The goal is for individuals and groups to release the balloons at 1 p.m., central time, on Veterans Day.

People also can register for the World War II Registry of Remembrances.

Glick said the electronic registry would include the names of those who served in the military and aided on the home front in World War II.

The current plan is to have terminals at the memorial site so visitors could look up the names of relatives who served or assisted in the war effort.

To some, the memorial project may seem to be moving slowly to fruition. But that's not how Glick sees it.

"We are practically moving at light speed," she said. "Some memorials take 30 to 40 years to build."

How to help

Persons interested in contributing to the National World War II Memorial can contact:

* The American Battle Monuments Commission at 1-800-639-4WW2

* Or Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel at 335-3223.