Consider buying an advertisement for your business or sending a donation to Pike County Times to support the only free online newspaper in Pike County. Donations can be sent to: The Pike County Times, PO Box 843, Zebulon, Georgia 30295. You can also donate through www.venmo.com/u/pikecountytimes, $pikecountytimes, and PayPal.Me/PikeCountyTimesLLC.

Thanks for supporting Pike County's only free online newspaper!

ZEBULON - American Legion Pike Post 197 held a Memorial Day Observance on May 25, 2026 in the Pike County Courthouse. The history of the Pike County Veterans Memorial was the topic of the day as well as honoring those who have given their all for our county.

Robert Atchison, Billy McClanahan, Albert Martin, Daniel Bons, Robert Walther, Wayne Germain, and Military Wife Barbara Richardson were remembered during the ceremony. Each passed away over the course of the past year.

Currently, Pike County has four known MIAs, each with a unique story of bravery and sacrifice: Seaman 2nd Class David E. Ledford, Staff Sergeant Joel M. Matthews, and Private Marion B. Smoot from WWII; and Chief Petty Officer Willie L. King from the Vietnam War. May all our MIAs someday rest in peace in the country they defended and provide final closure to their families.

Pike County has seven known and confirmed former POWs. Now deceased from WWII are Major Marvin H. Campbell, Private James J. Dickerson, and Private First Class James B. Dukes from the Meansville area, Corporal John N. Scott and Private Marion B. Smoot from the Molena area, Private Herman Nelson representing Zebulon and Concord; and former POW Specialist Sixth Class Lenard E. Daugherty from the Vietnam War who currently resides in Williamson, Pike County. We are forever grateful for the sacrifices made by these former POWs for our nation. May God bless them.

The Pike County Veterans Memorial began around October 7, 1948 when the Pike Journal Reporter wrote that the Veteran Training Class led by Instructor Sam Lifsey started the campaign for funds to erect a memorial on the courthouse square in Zebulon for the veterans who lost their lives in World Wars I and II. The following resolution had been submitted to the people of Pike County: “Resolved that a memorial for the veterans of both World Wars I and II, who lost their lives in the service of their country, be subscribed to and erected on the court house square in Zebulon. It will take the concentrated efforts of all religious and civic organizations, as well as each individual. This resolution is submitted this 23rd day of September, 1948 by the 3rd Veterans Agriculture Class of Pike County.” Signed by W.S. Lifsey Jr., Instructor.

As recorded in the Pike County Journal, the Pike County Veteran’s Monument commemorating the men who lost their lives in both World Wars I and II was dedicated at an impressive exercise on Sunday afternoon, April 24, 1949. The public was invited, and approximately 300 persons including families of the departed heroes, friends and Legionnaires from Griffin and surrounding communities attended. The program began at 2:30 p.m. with a concert by the 326th Army Band. American Legion Post Commander Warren E. Girtman introduced Honorable John Goddard of Griffin, who in turn introduced the guest speaker, Rev. Marshall Ellis, Rector of St George’s Church, Griffin and a former Navy Chaplain. Rev. Ellis, in his dedicatory address, paid worthy tribute to those who gave their lives in World Wars I and II. He said, “They laid down their lives and were ushered into Eternal life. They now live with God.” Following the address, the Army Band played Onward Christian Soldiers. Rev. S.A. Dailey pronounced the benediction, after which Taps was sounded. The monument bears the inscription “Dedicated to The Everlasting memory of those from Pike County who gave their lives in the service of their country in World Wars I and II. Names on the monument include:

• World War I: A.R Ballard, H.K. Davis, L.R. Davis, L.M. Hooten, J.G. McLendon, H.A. O’Neal, S.S, Self, L.G. Sullivan, and P.M Sullivan.
• World War II: C.L. Adams, M.R. Adkerson, R.E. Bishop, G.H. Blankenship, M.R. Carter, J.E. Corley, F.T. Davis, T.C. Gooden, J.C. Hackney, W.F. Harrison Jr., C. Johnson, C.M. Lane, D.E. Ledford, L.T. Marshall, A.L. Marshall, J.M. Matthews, P.L. McLendon, V.L. Middlebrooks, R.E. Oxford, E.E. Presley, W.T. Presley, H.L. Pike, T.J. Sandefur, M.B. Smoot, P.R. Storey, C.H. Tidwell, and E.R. Parks.

On 11 November 1975, a Veterans Day Service was held at the memorial of the dead on the Pike County Courthouse Square to show the county’s appreciation, to rededicate the Veterans Memorial with the addition of Korea and Vietnam, and to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in those two added wars. Since WWII, E. Coggin and J.C. Alexander were added Killed in Action from the Korean War; and J.T. Harris, G.R. McCuaig and L.L. Silver were added Killed in Action from the Vietnam War.

On 10 May 2008, a group of Veterans met on the Court House Square led by Don Bailey and Howard Rawlins with the objective of refurbishing the Veterans Monument that was structurally cracking due to the heavy traffic moving south on Highway US19. On 19 July 2008, a second meeting of a group of veterans met on the Courthouse Square led again by Don Bailey with the objective of continued discussion on the refurbishment of the Veterans Monument.

On 11 March 2009, American Legion Post 197 Senior Executive Committee Member, Bryan Richardson appeared before the Pike County Board of Commissioners to address the plan to refurbish the Veterans Monument and to obtain the Board’s approval. In addition to the structural refurbishment of the monument, permanent lighting was to be added for night illumination of the National, State, and POW/MIA flags, lamp post for illumination of the memorial at night, and landscaping around the monument. The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the restoration. The restoration project was under the direction of Post 197 Veterans Howard Rawlins and Gerald Spinks. The monument restoration sponsors were Clark Memorials, Country Corbin’s, Moody’s Funeral Home, Southern Rivers Energy, and the Zebulon Public Works Department.

Work to refurbish the Veteran’s Memorial began early November 2010 and was completed in January 2011. As part of the restoration, Jeffrey D. Walker who was killed-in-action in Iraq was added to the monument. The Pike County Veteran’s Memorial was rededicated as part of the Pike County Memorial Day Observance Program on 28 May 2011. During this program, J.D. Walker was honored as the newest addition to the monument.

As part of the Memorial Day Program, on 30 May 2016, Post 197 officially unveiled the name of Chief Petty Officer Willie L. King who died in the sinking of the USS Frank E. Evans during the Vietnam War. At the 11 November 2018 Veterans Day Program, Post 197 officially unveil the name of Wagoner Vernon E. Slade who died from disease in France in WWI. At the 11 November 2019 Veterans Day Program, Post 197 officially unveiled the names of Private William E. Bankston, Private Green Blackman, and Private Ben L. Scott all died while on orders during WWI. At the 30 May 2022 Memorial Day Observance Program, Post 197 officially unvieled the names of Private Ernest C. Ross from WWI, Sergeant Cebran E. Willis from WWII, and Private Martin Eppinger from the Korea War all killed in action.

On 27 August 2025, Post 197 Project Director Bryan Richardson briefed the Pike County Board of Commissioners and then on 3 September briefed the City of Zebulon on a project to refurbish the Veterans Memorial. The granite stone was to be replace by a concrete slab and a granite wall was to replace the privet hedge. Both the County and the City of Zebulon approved the refurbishment project. The concrete slab was prepared on 7 January 2026, and poured and finished on 8 January. The main monument was cleaned on 21 May 2026 to give the entire memorial a fresh look. The granite wall, with the six sand blasted etched panels, will be installed later this week. The final task, behind the granite wall, will be area beautification, where Volunteers from Georgia Power will plant 8 Knock-out Rose bushes and add pine straw. All this would not have happened without significant donors. We are so grateful for the community’s generous support to this worthy and much needed project.

First Panel reads:
PIKE COUNTY VETERANS MEMORIAL DEDICATION CEREMONY 24 APRIL 1949 - DEDICATED TO THE EVERLASTING MEMORY OF THOSE FROM PIKE COUNTY WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THE COUNTRY IN WORLD WARS I AND II.

- MONUMENT ERECTION FUNDED BY CIVIC AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OF PIKE COUNTY, GEORGIA

Second panel reads:
PIKE COUNTY VETERANS MEMORIAL REDEDICATION CEREMONY 11 NOVEMBER 1975 - DEDICATED TO THE EVERLASTING MEMORY OF THOSE FROM PIKE COUNTY WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THE COUNTRY IN WORLD WARS I AND II, KOREA AND VIETNAM

- PIKE COUNTY AMERICAN LEGION POST 197

Third panel reads:
PIKE COUNTY GEORGIA VETERANS MEMORIAL REDEDICATION CEREMONY 28 MAY 2011 - IN HONOR OF ALL THOSE ARMED FORCES MEMBERS WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN WARS AND CONFLICTS INVOLVING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

- MEMORIAL REFURBISHMENT FUNDED BY: CLARK MEMORIALS, COUNTY CORBINS, MOODY’S FUNERAL HOME, SOUTHERN RIVERS ENERGY, and ZEBULON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT - PIKE COUNTY AMERICAN LEGION POST 197

Fourth panel reads:
PIKE COUNTY VETERANS MEMORIAL REDEDICATION CEREMONY MEMORIAL DAY, 25 MAY 2026 - IN HONOR OF ALL THOSE ARMED FORCES MEMBERS WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN WARS AND CONFLICTS INVOLVING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; AND VETERANS WHO DIED HAVING SERVED HONORABLY

- PIKE COUNTY AMERICAN LEGION POST 197

The panel reads:
PIKE COUNTY VETERANS MEMORIAL REDEDICATION CEREMONY MEMORIAL DAY, 25 MAY 2026 - MEMORIAL REFURBISHMENT SPONSORS - $1,000 OR MORE - UPSON ENERGY MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION, MIDDLE GEORGIA MONUMENTS, WAYNE AND CAROL RICHARDSON, GEORGIA POWER, MRJ CONSTRUCTION, INC, FIRST BANK OF PIKE, SOUTHERN RIVERS ENERGY, BRYAN AND KATHY RICHARDSON, BURDEN’S FUNERAL HOME, MCLEROY INCORPORATED, SOUTHSIDE STEEL, TENCATE PROTECTIVE FABRICS, PIKE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PIKE HISTORIC PRESERVATION, INC, and PIKE COUNTY AMERICAN LEGION POST 197 – Also honoring, IN MEMORY OF VETERANS, US ARMY SFC DOUGLAS E.JONES-WWII-KOREA-VIETNAM, US ARMY LTC GERALD A. RICHARDSON-KOREA-VIETNAM, and US ARMY SFC FRANKLIN D. THRIFT, SR-VIETNAM

And the six panel will be roughly 8 feet wide by 3 ½ feet high mounted on the center section of the three section wall. The top row will have the emblem of each service branch.

This panel reads:
IN HONOR AND APPRECIATION FOR ALL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ARMED SERVICE MEMBER VETERANS WHO SERVED HONORABLY DEFENDING OUR AMERICAN FREEDOMS

For the first time, Pike County now honors all Veterans who served honorably defending our freedoms.

Chairman of the Pike County Board of Commissioners Briar Johnson and Mayor Joe Walter each provided remarks for the occasion, and Millie Smith sang during the observance. A wreath made by Cindy’s Florist was placed at the Memorial after the event.