When Lion Bill Haslett and his wife, Linda, stood on Omaha Beach on a recent trip to Normandy, France, they could almost hear the echoes of her father’s footsteps as he stormed ashore with thousands of other Allied troops on June 6, 1944. He was part of the D-Day invasion of northern France to overtake German-occupied Western Europe in World War II.
James Mooneyhan, Linda’s father, was a World War II veteran as well as a lifelong Lion. She and Lion Bill retraced his steps on this European battlefield, and stood in the very place where he had fought against Adolf Hitler’s reign of terror. This historic trek gave birth to the idea of creating a monument to honor the 36 previously unrecognized area servicemen who were casualties of the war. More than 1 million United States soldiers died during World War II.
Upon his return from Europe, Lion Bill worked tirelessly to sell the idea of building a memorial to honor the servicemen who died in World War II to the Winnsboro Lions Club. The members realized that nothing had ever been done before to pay homage to these brave men from Fairfield County, South Carolina, who had made the ultimate sacrifice. It was unanimously agreed upon to undertake this special project.
Hundreds of commemorative brick pavers that would surround the monument were sold, and more than $45,000 was raised from sales and donors. When the Fairfield County World War II Memorial was dedicated on May 31, 2015, more than 500 people attended the event. Men and women, young and old, veterans of this war and others, looked on in reverent silence as the impressive granite monument was unveiled. A majestic bronze eagle with outstretched wings perched atop the memorial, appearing ready to take flight. It was a day that the community will not soon forget.
“This project was a pivotal event in our community,” said Paul Dove, District Governor of 32 D and president of the Winnsboro Lions Club when the Legacy Project was completed. “The monument honors those who lost their lives in World War II, but it’s also a memorial so that we may never forget that freedom isn’t free. There’s a price tag on freedom: it is the blood of our soldiers who sacrificed their lives so that we may live free from the tyranny of dictators.”
What will your Lions club legacy be? Start planning your Legacy Project today!
