The Veterans Memorial Committee will honor all veterans on November 11, 2020 at 11:11 a.m. at the Mid-County Veterans Memorial Gazebo located on THE HEIGHTS grounds at 8001 Dale Avenue. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be postponed.
* Masks are required
Memorial stones may be purchased to honor your veteran year round. Please contact Tim Brunsman at THE HEIGHTS at 314.645.1476 or go to vetsmemorial.org. 


This event was live streamed on the City of Richmond Heights' Facebook Page here.
​

PAST EVENTS

2018 Veterans Day Ceremony / Centennial of Armistice

Sunday, November 11th at 2 p.m.  

Mid-County Veterans Memorial Gazebo 

located on the front lawn of THE HEIGHTS: The Richmond Heights Community Center and Memorial Library,

8001 Dale Ave., Richmond Heights, MO 63117​

​​​​​​Order Memorial Paver

2020 Memorial Day


* There is no formal ceremony for this year's Memorial Day but everyone is welcome to attend on their own. 

2017 Veterans Day Ceremony
          Sunday, November 12th at 1 p.m. 


   In honor of Veterans Day 2017, a special ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 12th at the Mid-County Veterans Memorial, located on the front lawn of THE HEIGHTS: The Richmond Heights Community Center and Memorial Library, 8001 Dale Ave., Richmond Heights, MO 63117.


    This year’s ceremony will be in recognition of the U.S. Air Force. Also, a Purple Heart City Award will be presented to Richmond Heights. Members of local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion Posts have been invited, along with all local residents and the general public.​

2018 Memorial Day Observance
          Thursday, May 24th at 5:30 p.m.. 


   In honor of Memorial Day 2018, a special ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 24th at the Mid-County Veterans Memorial, located on the front lawn of THE HEIGHTS: The Richmond Heights Community Center and Memorial Library, 8001 Dale Ave., Richmond Heights, MO 63117.


    This year’s ceremony will be in recognition of the U.S. Navy!  Also, we will pay special tribute to the late Richard F. Provaznik, former mayor of Richmond Heights and U.S. Navy Veteran. Members of local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion Posts have been invited, along with all local residents and the general public.​

2019 Veterans Day

2020 Veterans Day

All are invited! The year long commemoration for those killed in WW1 ends soon. The Mid County Veterans Memorial Committee wishes to honor those from our neighboring communities who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Brentwood veterans were honored last Spring and Maplewood Veterans will be honored this Fall.
Two soldiers from Richmond Heights, Arthur Nolan and Manuel Johnson, who were killed in action but did not have streets named after them will also be commemorated by special signs at the Arlington street park with the cannon.
The Mid County Veterans Memorial Committee asks descendants of Maplewood WW1 veterans to please contact Mary Binns at Richmond Heights City Hall at 314.655.3504, via email at mbinns@richmondheights.org, or online at www.vetsmemorial.org. We wish to honor those from Maplewood who served and have their descendants in attendance at this year’s special November event.
 

2013 Veterans Memorial Committee - Gazebo Groundbreaking Ceremony

   July 2013        

2016 Veterans Memorial Committee - Memorial Day Observance

    Thursday, May 26th, 2015 5:30 p.m.    


​      Thank you to all who attended the Memorial Day ceremony on Thursday, May 
26, 2016. On that day, the Veterans Memorial Committee hosted a Memorial Day Observance honoring the veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.  Mayor Jim Thomson, Councilman Rick Vilcek, Chairman Ken Heinz, and others spoke of the wars and of the ultimate sacrifice made by many. 

2015 Veterans Memorial Committee - Veterans Day Ceremony

   Sunday, November 8th, 2015 1 p.m.    


​          Sunday, November 8th we heard some inspiring stories about Veterans.
      The ceremony on that Sunday featured veteran, Dr. E. M. Croghan, Lieutenant U.S. Navy Dental Corps, father of resident, Pat Croghan. He told us of his father's time served, as a dentist in the military, and taught us "If you can't bite, you can't fight." It was evident how proud Mr. Croghan was of his father and the service he provided to our country.
     Away from the podium, you could hear stories being told of other loved veterans. A young man from Broken Bow, Nebraska named Mike Doheny, cousin of Brentwood resident, John Doheny, spent 8 years as a U.S. Marine, and eventually was headed for a tour in Iraq in August of 2007. He was KIA in December of 2007 when an explosive struck his vehicle. John Doheny and his family all around the country will remember and honor Mike this month and everyday. To read an article about Mike Doheny and his family, click here.

Veterans Memorial Committee

2021 Veterans Day

EVENTS

2016 Veterans Memorial Committee - Veterans Day Ceremony

    Sunday, November 13th, 2016 1:30 p.m.    


     In accordance with Veterans Day 2016, a special ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 13th at the Mid-County Veterans Memorial, located on the front lawn of THE HEIGHTS: The Richmond Heights Community Center and Memorial Library, 8001 Dale Ave., Richmond Heights, MO 63117.
    This year’s ceremony will be in recognition of the U.S.

Marine Corps.  There will be a special guest appearance by Sgt. Rocky Sickmann, USMC retired. Sgt. Sickmann was one of the hostages held captive in Iran for 444 days at the former U.S. Embassy.  Members of local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion Posts have been invited,

along with all local residents and the general public.
      There will also be an unveiling of a new statue to the Veterans garden.

More photos and videos can be found on our Facebook page! 

2013 Veterans Memorial Committee - Gazebo Dedication Ceremony

   Sunday, November 10th 2013     ​

The Veterans Memorial Committee will honor all veterans on November 11, 2021 at 11 a.m. at the Mid-County Veterans Memorial Gazebo located on THE HEIGHTS grounds at 8001 Dale Avenue. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be postponed.


Memorial stones may be purchased to honor your veteran year round. Please contact Tim Brunsman at THE HEIGHTS at 314.645.1476 or go to vetsmemorial.org. 
​

2017 Memorial Day Observance
          Thursday, May 25th at 5:30 p.m. 


     Join the Veterans Memorial Committee in honoring women in the military, both past and present. We will also pay special tribute to the late James Finger, former mayor of Richmond Heights and U.S. Army veteran. The ceremony will be held at the Mid-County Veterans Memorial Gazebo, located on THE HEIGHTS grounds, 8001 Dale Avenue. 

Seven WWI Soldiers from Richmond Heights

On Veterans Day, November 11, 1936, the American Legion Memorial Post #433 dedicated a bronze plaque to men from Richmond Heights who made the supreme sacrifice for their country during the World War.  This was considered the war to end all wars. However, in less than two decades, the world would again be plunged into another and even more horrific world war. The names of the soldiers listed on the plaque were Lee T. Goff, Manuel Johnson, Roy G. Winzenburg, Charles Gray, Roy E. Lile, and Walter Ruppert.  The following is a brief sketch of each of the soldiers.
Lee T. Goff.  Lee was an observer in the intelligence department of the 138th Infantry.  He was killed on September 24, 1918.  He was the son of Rev. and Mrs. Francis L. Goff of the Richmond Heights Presbyterian Church, who lived at 7211 El Moro in Richmond Heights.  According to his obituary, he was killed by a high explosive shell while observing the movements of German batteries east of the town of Auzeville.  This was just prior to the American barrage which opened the battle of the Argonne Forest. Goff originally enlisted in the 5th Missouri Infantry. He had been employed by Union Electric Light and Power Company before entering the service.  He was born in Ohio in 1890 and was a graduate of Cumberland University of Tennessee. It was reported that he was courageous under fire and was in a hazardous locale at the time he was killed.  His body arrived in the United States in September, 1921 and was buried in the family plot in Humboldt, TN. Lee Goff’s name was memorialized by American Legion Goff-Moll Post 101 located in Brentwood, Missouri.  The other co-named for Post 101 was Joseph Moll of Brentwood was also killed in action on November 4, 1918, only seven days before the Armistice.  
Charles Gray.    Charles enlisted on October 18, 1918 in the Marines and was sent to Paris Island in North Carolina where he was stationed for five months.  He was then sent Quantico, VA for a month. He contracted double pneumonia and died March 22, 1919. His body was brought back to St. Louis and buried at Jefferson Barracks on March 27, 1919.
Roy E. Lile.   Roy was born in St. Louis in 1893.  He graduated from Central High School and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in June, 1917.  He was trained at Parris Island and Quantico, VA and went overseas in October, 1917. He was assigned to the 82nd Company 6th Regiment.  He took part in several engagements before being wounded at Belleau Wood on June 6, 1918.  He convalesced at home from September 19th and at a reconstruction hospital in Des Moines, IA.  He died after an operation at the Great Lakes Hospital On February 13, 1919.  He was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government. His citation reads that he gave proof of courage and coolness in attacking a nest of machine guns strongly fortified, which he captured and kept.   His father was Eris P. Lile of Richmond Heights. Before the war, Roy was employed as a clerk at the American Automobile Insurance Company. Roy was severely wounded between June 26 and June 28th.  He sent his father an artistically decorated empty shell case from a French battery at Verdun.   He wrote that he was slightly wounded in his right arm and could not use his hand.
Manuel Johnson.   Manuel Johnson (also referred to as Manual) was born on December 19, 1886 in Marceline, Missouri.  He later lived at 7516 Ethel in Richmond Heights. He enlisted in St. Louis on May 6, 1917 in the Marine Corps.  He was trained at Parris Island and Quantico, VA. He arrived in France aboard the USS Henderson in September, 1917.  He served in the 75th Company 1st Battalion 6th Regiment, the Battalion was a unit of the 2nd Division.  He was killed by enemy shellfire at Belleau Wood on June 13, 1918. The Battle of Belleau Wood occurred June 6-June 26, 1918 NNW of Lucy-le-Bocage France. The 6th Regiment attacked German positions in Belleau Wood from a line of departure immediately to the East of the Paris-Metz Road. (The 5th Division was on the West side of that road.) His remains were initially buried in a ravine near hill 181.  His body was returned to the United States in October, 1918 and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Roy Grassmann Winzenburg.  Roy was born on August 19, 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri.  He graduated from Yeatman High School in 1908. He was a member of the Third Baptist Church and a Mason.  He was employed by the Frisco Engineering Department in October, 1908. He was then a department manager and assistant treasurer for Remley Grocery Company from 1912 until he enlisted in the U.S. Army.  He lived at 25 Highland Terrace in Richmond Heights. He became a first lieutenant in the Army. Unfortunately he was wounded in 1917 at Camp Doniphan in Missouri by a stray bullet. Apparently a sentry had fired at a private who refused to halt and the bullet entered Winzenburg’s tent and struck him in the back.  From that time on, the lieutenant was an invalid and had undergone 26 surgical operations to stay the progress of the wound. He was divorced from his wife thereafter and died of complications from his wounds on July 24, 1921.
Walter Marion Ruppert.   Walter was born north of Tower Grove Park in St. Louis on January 18, 1900.  He attended school at Richmond Heights public schools. He wrote several letters that are still in existence from his travels in the service.  One of his last letters was from Castillon, France on March 16, 1919. He talked about beaucoup mademoiselles, plenty of amusements and oceans of vin blanc and vin rouge.  He also wrote that people who think he was “a regular warrior” have the wrong idea. He stated “although we are a combatant unit, we took no part in a fight at all”.
William T.J. Nolan, Jr..   Born January 5, 1896. Not listed on the plaque made by the American Legion.  The Soldiers Memorial in downtown St. Louis lists Mr. Nolan as having lived at 1228 Sunset Avenue in Richmond Heights.  He was a Private with the 5th Regiment of the Second Division of the Marines.  He was killed in action on June 11, 1918 at Belleau Wood, France, and buried at the American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne.
OTHER MEMORIALS
The War Memorial at Arlington and Bellevue was dedicated May 20, 1923 with a cannon mounted on a pedestal. The local American Red Cross Auxiliary provided funds left over from the war effort.  They commissioned a bronze tablet in memory of those who died in the service. In addition to the Richmond Heights Memorial, there was a memorial in the City of St. Louis on Kingshighway Ave. These involved 1,185 gold star plaques created in the 1920’s from Gold Star Mothers, a group made up of mothers of World War I dead.  The gold star plaques measured about 8 inches in diameter. They were cast in bronze and each contained the names of WWI Veterans from St. Louis who were killed in action. They were sunken into the median of Kingshighway Blvd. and formed a chain between Martin Luther King Drive and Penrose Park. That stretch of road was originally called Kingshighway Memorial Drive.  It was widened and the median removed in the 1980’s. Street workers removed the plaques and were getting rid of them. Members of the American Legion Post recovered 753 of the original 1,185 plaques. They cleaned and restored them and stored them in the basement of the Soldier’s Memorial in the City of St. Louis. The plaques were then lent to Jefferson Barracks Park for a temporary display. A permanent display was rededicated at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in 2014.

The plaque donated by the American Legion containing the names of the six soldiers was apparently stolen at some time.  In a newspaper article in 1988 a person wrote pleading that the plaque be returned. The writer indicated that her father was one of deceased and that she passed the memorial hundreds of times and carried a piece of chalk so she could underline his name.  At that time the writer, listed only as L.R., indicated that she was 62 years old. The original cannon from WWI was donated to the war effort in WWII with considerable ceremony and was replaced later by an artillery piece from WWII. The plaque was eventually reported as found in a resale shop by an observant resident who reported it to the police. It was confiscated as stolen property. It was rededicated at a Veteran’s Memorial ceremony on November 11, 2012, at the Heights Recreation Center.
Streets in Richmond Heights were named after Goff, Gray, Rupert, Lile and Winzenburg.