Local Marines Raising Funds for New Memorial

Driving down south Memorial, you don't expect to see a humvee with a TOW missile system. But that's exactly what these Marines want your attention. They're trying to raise money for a fallen

Saturday, May 14th 2005, 6:55 pm

By: News On 6

Driving down south Memorial, you don't expect to see a humvee with a TOW missile system. But that's exactly what these Marines want your attention. They're trying to raise money for a fallen brother.

Cpl Adam Gobbo, BA Marine Corps Reserves: "This is really big cause we just got back from Iraq and out there you get a real good sense of the brotherhood and the camaraderie and when you lose one everybody feels it."

The Broken Arrow Marine Reserve unit lost one last November. Corporal Nathan Hammond was killed by an improvised explosive device while fighting in Iraq. Corporal Adam Gobbo calls him a friend.

Cpl Adam Gobbo, BA Marine Corps Reserves: "He was the guy one of the guys that used to fly into Oklahoma every drill weekend from Phoenix and he would be the one who picked them up he just made it his jobs he took care of other marines"

This memorial is dedicated to marines lost in the Korean War. Corporal Hammond's fellow marines want an identical one dedicated to those lost in the war on terror. So, they're washing cars and dodging traffic to raise money.

Corporal Josef Blann: "two 20s, a ten, a couple of 50's these people are very patriotic.â€

The Marines want to plant the new memorial right next to the Korean War Memorial. And even if the unit gets moved the memorial will go with them.

Corporal Gobbo: "and if we have any base closures our contractors have assured us they will pull up everything and put it where ever we need it."

Corporal Hammond would be proud.