On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved the addition of four new bronze statues and plaques to Veterans Park on Okaloosa Island.
- The statues, which will cost $372,255, will be created by Jon Hair Monumental Sculpture, LLC, the same artist who created the park’s first eight statues.
- The funding for the statues and plaques is budgeted in the Tourist Development Council (TDC) as part of the approved larger budget for Phase II of the park.
In September 2023, the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve Phase II of the Veterans Park project, allocating $1.65 million to further develop the site.
- The project includes the addition of these four new statues, expanding the trail system, and honoring more women who served in the U.S. armed forces. Phase II builds upon the existing memorial wall, flags, statues, and walking trail that opened in November 2021 as part of Phase I.
The approval comes after the county’s 2nd Annual Women Veterans Day ceremony on June 12, 2024, at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center. The event celebrated and recognized the service of women who have served in the U.S. military, featuring keynote speaker Col. Allison Black, USAF Ret., and a special presentation to Lt. Gen. Gordon Fornell.
Veterans Park, which was unveiled in 2021, features life-sized bronze statues of women who served in combat during various U.S. military conflicts. The statues are placed along a quarter-mile path, surrounded by native wildlife, including a nearby great blue heron rookery.
The four new honorees, as proposed by the Women’s Veteran Monument Advisory Committee, represent conflicts and branches of the military that had not been previously recognized in the park. They include:
- Iroquois Woman Warrior from the War of 1812
- Linda Bray, who served in Panama during Operation Just Cause
- Florence Ebersole Smith Finch, who served in the Coast Guard during World War II
- Nicole Gee, a Marine who served during the evacuation of Afghanistan
The Iroquois Woman Warrior
The Iroquois Woman Warrior represents Native American women who served as cooks and in combat during the War of 1812. Records indicate that at least five Native women, including Polly Cooper, Susan Jacob, Dinah John, Julia John, and Dolly Schenandoah, received military pensions for officially serving as “cooks” in regiments of Indian volunteers.
Captain Linda Bray
Linda Bray, a Captain in the U.S. Army, led her company during a firefight in Panama in 1989 and was recently awarded the Bronze Star with V Device for her actions. At the time, it was illegal for women to engage in combat, but Bray took action when the situation deteriorated.
Florence Ebersole Smith Finch
Florence Ebersole Smith Finch, who was half Filipino, worked with the Philippine underground to smuggle supplies to POWs during World War II. After being imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese, she joined the Coast Guard in 1945 and was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon and the Medal of Freedom.
Sergeant Nicole Gee
Nicole Gee, a Sergeant in the Marines, assisted with the evacuation of Kabul in 2021 and was known for her caring and compassionate nature towards Afghan women and children. She was killed by a suicide bomber along with 17 other U.S. service members on August 27, 2021.
- The addition of these four statues is part of Phase II of the Veterans Park project, which also includes a new paved trail section, lighting, cameras, design, permitting, and fees. The statues are expected to be ready for Women’s Veterans Day in 2025.
During the meeting, Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel expressed her gratitude and hopes for the future of the park, stating, “We do hope to have an additional four statutes after this. That would be 16 statues. That would pretty well cover the 21.5 acres that we have there, which would preserve the land and continue the beauty of this area.”
The Women’s Veteran Memorial Advisory Committee has put in countless hours to narrow down the list of honorees, ensuring that the statues represent a diverse range of conflicts and military branches.
- The selection of the honorees is a key task on the critical timeline in the production of the statues, and the county is working to keep the project on track for completion by Women Veterans Day in 2025.
