Delaware veterans memorial will catch up with history through $5 million renovation

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The centerpiece of Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Delaware will undergo a $5 million renovation to upgrade its infrastructure and add more names of local soldiers who died in conflicts post-Korean War.

The War Memorial Monument in the park — located on the Delaware side of the Delaware Memorial Bridge — lists the names of soldiers from New Jersey and Delaware who died in conflicts.

“The current monument contains names from World War II and Korea only,” said Jim Salmon, spokesperson for the Delaware River and Bay Authority. “It’s entirely appropriate that proper and due respect be given to those who served in and paid the price in subsequent conflicts.

“We’re going to be replacing the underlying concrete structure and expanding the wall to include servicemen and women from New Jersey and Delaware who died serving the United States in all the wars and conflicts from World War II to the present.”

The DRBA wants to make sure no one is excluded from the renovation, so anyone who lost loved ones in action can check out the current list of names on the park’s website, add submissions , or request corrections.

The process has already helped identify mistakes. One New Jersey veteran had been overlooked because he enlisted while out of state.

“He lived in New Jersey all his life and helped move his mother out to Arizona. I’m assuming that because he joined and was out in Arizona, he wasn’t listed as a New Jersey resident, even though he grew up in New Jersey,” Salmon explained.

He also assured that the annual Veterans Day service, held every November at the park, will not be interrupted by the renovation.

“We will suspend our construction activity on or before the 25th of October to allow for our maintenance department to prepare for the event,” he said.

Construction on the $5 million project is scheduled to begin in June and wrap up in May 2025.