Drum Base members visit Memorial Park

MILTON — A group of submarine veterans recently toured the Veteran's Memorial Park in Downtown Milton.

USSVI Drum Base, a chapter of the United States Submarine Veterans Inc, is a group of veterans with members spanning from Milton to Chicago, Illinois. This month they gathered in the community of Milton, some for the first time, to visit the Veteran's Memorial Park in Downtown Milton where a special section was recently designated for a memorial for submarine veterans.

Roger Clark, president for the Drum Base chapter, said two members of the chapter began purchasing bricks to honor deceased Drum Base members and placing them in the Santa Rosa Veteran’s Memorial Park a few years ago.

"To date Drum Base has 50 past members and five wives in the memorial," Clark said.

He said since many of the members had not seen the memorial, the group gathered for a special lunch in Milton and then drove to the park to pay tribute to the members. Clark said the group usually meets in Pensacola for their monthly lunches, so this meeting was extra special.

"The members decided they would like to see the memorial and have the meeting and luncheon somewhere different," he said.

Clark said even though it was a hot day, the veterans were enthused and proud of the memorial and hoped more citizens in the community would go out and visit the memorial.

"If you haven’t visited the memorial please do because you’re in for a treat," he said. "It’s a credit to Santa Rosa County and the city of Milton. I know Drum Base veterans appreciate it and I am sure all veterans do and will when they see it."

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Drum Base members visit Memorial Park