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Source: City of Broken Arrow
“The Forgotten War” will be remembered forever in Broken Arrow with the dedication of a new Korean War Memorial at Veterans Park, 1111 S. Main St., on March 21 at 1 p.m. The ceremony will include acknowledgment of the Korean War veterans in attendance, recognition of sculptor J. David Nunneley, and the unveiling of the monument.
Mayor Debra Wimpee spoke about adding this important monument to the memorials already on display at the park.
“The Korean War Memorial recognizes the American sacrifice of veterans who valiantly fought and died for this noble mission,” Mayor Wimpee said. “Broken Arrow is a city that respects, honors, and remembers our past and present veterans. We hope this memorial will be a place of reflection and education for all who see it.”
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 1.8 million U.S. military members served in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953, and 36,574 paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The statue depicts the likeness of a U.S. soldier wearing a heavy coat and holding a rifle while standing in snow surveying the landscape during the Korean War. It stands approximately 80 inches tall, weighs around 800 pounds, and took nearly a year to sculpt.
The City Council authorized a contract with J. David Nunneley for the Korean War Memorial sculpture in September 2021. Unfortunately, Mr. Nunneley died in February 2023, and never saw his last work installed. It is the second monument at Veterans Park sculpted by the Broken Arrow artist.
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“It’s a good feeling to be honored with the contract and commissioned for this monument,” Nunneley said at the time.
The American soldier in the Korean War is the second of Nunneley’s sculptures at Veterans Park. The first was the Vietnam War monument, American Patriot, installed in 2005. That statue depicts Broken Arrow High School graduate Maj. William H. (Hank) Miesner, Jr., during his service in Vietnam.
Nunneley completed more than 24 life-size and larger monuments installed across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, including many in Broken Arrow and the Tulsa metro area.
The Korean War Memorial cost $162,200 and was paid for through the Broken Arrow Parks Capital Fund.
