Construction on Decatur WWII Memorial Expected to Start in Spring

After several years of planning, construction on a World War II memorial in Decatur may finally start.

The project has faced a series of delays because of a lack of funding, but now with about $25,000 needed to complete the memorial; organizers hope to break ground in May. This would be the first phase of the project, which will go up in front of the Decatur Civic Center. It is the brainchild of Pete Nicholls, a World War II veteran who passed away three years ago.

Nicolls' son, Pete, said his father was injured during the war after he jumped on a grenade, and saved the lives of two other soldiers.

"He was very involved in veterans his whole life after that, and around Decatur he realized there were several war memorials, but there was none dedicated to the World War II veterans," Nicolls said.

The monument will include five head stones representing each service of the armed services, and it will have a five-foot globe that is going to be on a pedestal. Nicolls said the pedestal will have a list of area veterans who died during the war. Nicolls said he hopes to see the memorial completed by next year.

Gordon Brenner, who is on the World War II Memorial committee, began working on the project in 2004 with the elder Nicolls.

"(Nicolls) said I know I may not live long enough to see this thing built, and so he said I want someone I know who's going to carry on and see this to the end," Brenner said. "I told him, 'Pete, you ain't going nowhere until we get this thing built.' I said, 'I would be honored to help you.'"

Before Nicolls passed away, he and Brenner spent time researching World War II military casualties from Macon County. Brenner said the memorial will serve as a lasting tribute to about 360 area veterans who died during the war.