By Kris Byars
04/24/2008
WAHOO, NB - A landmark in Wahoo will be getting a bit of a makeover.
The U.S.S. Wahoo memorial located on the east lawn of the Saunders County Courthouse is being refurbished.
The memorial was established by the Nebraska-Wahoo Chapter of the United States Submarine Veterans of World War II to honor the crew of the USS Wahoo. All hands were lost when the submarine, which sank 20 Japanese ships, was lost as a result of enemy action on Oct. 11, 1943.
According to Senior Chief Electrical Technician Sub Qualified Retired and United States Submarine Veterans Incorporated Nebraska Base member Pat Hancock, the refurbishment of this memorial has been in the works for a while now.
"They've been talking basically about fixing it up," he said.
U.S. Submarine Veterans Nebraska Base member Errol D. Vanicek said he became involved in the potential project long after discussion had started.
"When I entered into it, they had been talking about it for 10 years," he said. The long wait is just about over, however. The first step in the refurbishment process took place last week, when the plaques that adorned the front of the memorial were removed.
According to Vanicek, the plaques will be taken to a foundry in Omaha, where they will be made to look like new.
According to Hancock, some additional refurbishing work will be done on both the torpedo itself and the base that supports it. Much of this work is being done locally. Rick Woita will be doing the painting on the torpedo and Bullock Brothers will handle the masonry work for the base.
A new addition to the monument in the form of an engraved piece of granite will be added to the memorial.
Vanicek said they are hoping to have the entire project completed by late August.
All together, Hancock estimated that the refurbishment of this memorial would cost around $10,000. That bill is being picked up by U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc., an organization that is comprised of submarine veterans whose service took place after the World War II era.
The organization has taken over care of the USS Wahoo memorial, succeeding the World War II veterans who created it.
GETTING A FRESH LOOK – Errol D. Vanicek (left) and Pat Hancock remove the screws that hold the plaque to the front of the USS Wahoo Memorial located on the east lawn of the Saunders County Courthouse. The Plaque will be sent to a foundry in Omaha, where it will be cleaned up and made to look like new.©Suburban Newspapers 2008 lavistasun.com
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