Page 8 � Union County GA Magazine � Summer 2022 www . unioncountymag . com � 10th Anniversary
The Principal People Indian Wars Mexican War
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County War Memorial . Location . It is not along a major road in the county .
In the early thinking for such a place there were some suggestions made . At one point , the Union County School Superintendent Tommy Stephens offered land next to the
grounds housing the Union County Board of Education building .
The location is one block from Highway 129 South . South of the old courthouse on the square in Blairsville on Cleveland Street is War Memorial Drive , which connects to School Circle .
The major driving force of the Union County War Memorial was CSM ( Retired ) Roy Hamby , at the time involved with the Georgia Department of Veterans Services . He was Chairman of the War Memorial Committee , which included County Commissioner Glen Gooch , Blairsville Mayor Charles Allison , City Council member Bill Foster and Superintendent of Schools Tommy Stephens . Historians on the committee were R . B . Brown , Leon Colwell and Leon Davenport . Architects were John Morris and Reid Dyer , the Recorder was Bob Tackett , and fundraiser Jim Dobson .
Hamby devoted countless hours for 18-
Civil War
World War I World War II Korea
months on the project . Typical of Hamby , he often gave credit to others for work his did .
On the day of the dedication , the Dedication Address was given by the Honorable Ed Jenkins , who served in Congress 16 years . Roy Hamby was the Master of Ceremony , Col . Art Estes offered the prayers . The North Georgia Honor Guard posted and retired the Colors , plus gave a 21 Gun Salute .
A wreath was posted by the commanders of the Veterans of Foreign Wars , American Legion , and Disabled American Veterans .
An impressive Rasing of the Flags included members of the Union County High School Band .
As each flag was raised , part of a song was played .
First up the center pole was the United States flag with the playing of the National Anthem . The POW-MIA flag was raised .
Coast Guard flag with Semper Paratus , Air Force flag with Into The Wild Blue Yonder , Navy flag with Anchors Aweigh , Marine Corps with Marines ’ Hymn , Army flag with The Army Goes Rolling Along , then the
Georgia flag with Georgia On My Mind .
William Decker was the memorial pamphlet editor , using information provided by Hamby .
The pamphlet distributed to attendees had details about the wars , a list of names of 158 men from Union County who made the sacrifice of dying during a wartime period .
Not all those listed on the monuments returned home for a burial , thus the monument serves as their final resting place .
The bronze eagle in the center of the war monuments is an eagle that has a 44-inch wingspan . The eagle , explains Hamby , is the nation ’ s symbol of strength , unity and courage . The eagle sits on top of a black granite slab more than nine feet tall . It has a quote of William Shakespeare and another from Douglas MacArthur .
“ The memorial is unique in that it honors the history of the Cherokee nation . The " Trail of Tears " was part their removal from this area . It was the ultimate destruction of their nation as it
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