Siloam Springs gathered at Constitution Park Monday for a ceremony marking 10 years since the installation of the Killed in Action Memorial, a granite monument honoring 32 local service members who died while serving their country.
The memorial, dedicated in 2014, sits just off Arkansas Boulevard near the Siloam Springs Police Department. It features the names of those killed in action from World War II through more recent conflicts, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Monday’s observance included a wreath-laying, a 21-gun salute, and remarks from local veterans and city officials.
“We’re here to remember not just the names on the stone, but the people behind them,” said Siloam Springs Mayor Doug Keesee. “Each one of these individuals made the ultimate sacrifice while serving beyond these hills, in places most of us will never see.”
The event drew about 100 people, many wearing patriotic shirts or holding small American flags. Local Scout troops presented the colors, and the Siloam Springs High School band played “Taps” as the crowd stood in silence.
For some families in attendance, the memorial carries deeply personal weight. Darrell and Linda Henley traveled from nearby Bella Vista to honor their son, Staff Sgt. David Henley, a 2003 graduate of Siloam Springs High School who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. His name is etched fifth from the top on the memorial’s eastern face.
“It means everything to us that the community keeps his memory alive,” Linda Henley said. “He’s not just a name on a wall. He’s still part of this town.”
Darrell Henley, holding back tears, added, “He loved this place. He always said he’d come back to Siloam Springs when he was done with the service. It just wasn’t meant to be.”
The memorial was the brainchild of local veteran and former city councilman Jerry Smith, who spent two years working with families, the city, and monument companies to bring it to fruition. Smith, a Vietnam-era Navy vet, said the project was personal—he lost a close friend in Vietnam and wanted to make sure hometown heroes weren’t forgotten.
“A lot of these kids, they come back from basic training and you see them walking around town in uniform,” Smith said. “You know they’re proud to serve. But when they don’t come home, it hits different. This memorial is for them.”
Since its installation, the memorial has become a regular stop for local schools and veterans groups, especially around Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The city also holds an annual wreath-laying ceremony each spring, coordinated with the Siloam Springs VFW Post 10386 and American Legion Post 136.
VFW Post 10386 Commander James Tackett, a Gulf War veteran, said the memorial serves as a reminder of the cost of freedom—especially in a small town where loss hits close to home.
“You walk through Siloam Springs and you see the high school, the Sonic, the old Harvey House downtown—and then you see this,” Tackett said. “It brings it home. These weren’t just soldiers. They were our neighbors.”
The memorial is maintained by the city with help from local veterans groups. Each Veterans Day and Memorial Day, volunteers clean the site and place small flags beside each name. The city also installed new lighting last year to make the monument visible at night.
For those looking to support local veterans or learn more about the memorial, the Siloam Springs VFW Post 10386 meets the first and third Thursday of each month at 905 Arkansas Blvd. The American Legion Post 136 also hosts monthly meetings and regularly participates in community ceremonies.
Source: 5News KFSM
