Pennsauken NJ Westfield Avenue WAR MEMORIAL

My name is George Martin, I helped set a lot of the memorials in Crescent (Jewish) Burial Park cemetery years ago and I "engineered" the Westfield Avenue War Memorial, on Westfield Avenue and Merchantville Avenue, Pennsauken, New Jersey, our "main street", all the ground layout & actual footings, erection, etc. on the 14 ton job, 20 years ago this month.

This changed my life for a long time. I was asked by N.J. Marble & Granite to assist in the excavating, foundation & erection of the Veterans Monument, circa May of 1988. On a shoddy lot, the corner of which was earmarked for the new memorial site.

Without too much specific assistance, I felt very alone after I accepted the job. Priced only from me at wages, (no profit or overhead) one paid laborer, with a couple of volunteers & money for concrete & forms, right on a corner, in the public eye, under daily scrutiny, with a plywood sign, depicting the "level" of pledge money to pay for completion.

I met the then township engineer, who furnished no plans, no specs, no details. I questioned which direction the 3 sided obelisk, should face...he looked around & said...aim one edge to that pole across the street...I then asked...”What will the base look like?”

He hurriedly drew a sketch on a napkin & handed it to me.

Ok, having been a model builder since childhood and a decent building remodeler, it was vague, but I had insight. When I inquired about the degree of angle, on the base, he laughed and said “Go back to college”, hopped in his car and took off.

I got some specific numbers from the granite company, as to the base dimension, hand built remote location forms, in sections, added a rebar cage that no one mentioned and opted for 4500 grade mix, upon finding the gross weight was on or about 14 tons.

Rain plagued the entire job, and no township official could be found for answering questions, as most were away at some convention out of town, for days.

Great.

I had to set lot grade, borrowed a back hoe, dug it out, deeper than needed, brought up the pre-fabricated forms, assembled them, called a local welder to help with the rebar cage, ordered concrete and borrowed an old tent from a cemetery, to shield the project.

Now the base runs like 7 foot to an angle of 2 1/2 feet and so forth. I need another finisher! My laborer and volunteers aren't skilled and the top has to be like glass flat!

An old navy bosun’s mate, known as great concrete guy, stops by and says “Hey kid...what ya doing?”

I signed him up. The concrete truck came and the driver shot the pour. A 'Nam vet, he jumped out, boots on & trowel in hand and jumped in. Raining, tent up, all went great under adverse conditions. I took it on and what got me through it was, I wanted to be a part of a memorial for all those service people, who shared their futures, for ours. Something my family could see, long after I was gone. Everything was falling into place!

Within a few days, area was backfilled & we prepared for delivery from Vermont. The crane truck was on site and we began assembly. It didn't go well at the upper section. The parts were all marked, but when erected, the monument was tilted. Out of plumb no matter what.

Calls went in to Vermont & public opinion on the "leaning monument" sparked debate. Vermont agreed to send a flatbed tractor trailer to retrieve the monument and supply crane needs.

As we begin to disassemble the memorial, the Philadelphia Inquirer shows up, with a dress military detail, wanting to take photos. The cameraman asks “Who's in charge?”

I said “I am.”

The reporter came over and asked me “What's going on?

I mentioned the parts were going back to Vermont, for re-cut & re-evaluation and such.

He says “Yeah, right, f**king funny, you j**k-**f” and walks around asking others who’s really in charge.

They point back to me. Humbled he comes back, takes a brief bunch of stat notes and has the photographer snap a photo of a highly decorated marine, behind the two separated sections, being lifted by a crane. It all went to press. Very nice...good story.

Well, the unaware public, saw a picture of a monument assembly, not one being taken away. Vermont made good on all aspects, to insure a proper assembly next time around. They found the cut and rectified all details.

The second setting of the monument, went flawless. That day, a small business I built, with no advertising, over the years, finally made me feel I was in on a job, that would outlive me, dedicated to those whose sacrifice, allowed me the privilege to participate. That day, the phone stopped ringing. No customers for months. Just like turning off a switch.

The local newspaper, the Courier-Post, issued a story the foundation was faulty. Here, some Maple Shade vet, with no affiliation to our town or job, gave the paper his version of the now rectified "mishap", after all was well, after a delay.

The snotty writer, at the paper told me, when I called to say “You’re ruining me, 'swami” said “Who cares, nobody reads and believes what's in the paper anyhow, they use it to wrap fish and line birdcages.”

I said “Really? Then why do you write news?”

He said. “It's just a job.

Some pending jobs I had were cancelled, and it made life locally miserable. It was difficult for my wife to take out my toddler daughter or go to the local market without some snide remarks, regarding the memorial site. I sweated the detail and went above and beyond. The paper never printed a retraction. Nobody came to my "rescue". People do believe what they read, even if it's not true.

I remember that job, as clear as today's events. Well, 20 years passed and I went there to remember. My dad, brother, other family members, friends, tradesmen and a site I initially wanted to avoid, but did the best I could, with what I had, at the time.

It's still level, looks great & under adverse conditions during that job, was only a small sacrifice on my behalf, and wasn't shot at, tortured, starved, drowned, captured, burned, drowned, wounded or worse. It was worth our efforts, regardless what others think.

Being the son of an ex-service man, gave me the self-discipline to do the right thing, for all concerned, and my wife stood by me through a difficult time in my career. My wife still has that paper delivered daily.

Happy Memorial Day. Remember those gone before us... and don't believe everything you read...look deeper.

I can tell this story now, without any further reprisal from a township official who wanted to declare the monument was vandalized and had to be sent out for "repair", grandstanding for no good purpose, and threatened me to be "quiet"...against my truth, that would hurt donations and veterans and me, for no reason at all. He's dead, and so is the other vet post member "storyteller".

I'll remember them too.

George P. Martin
May 2008


PENNSAUKEN, N.J. WESTFIELD AVENUE WAR MEMORIAL
PENNSAUKEN REMEMBERS

	If you have information or pictures which you would like to see included on this website, please contact me by e-mail. Phil Cohen phil552@reagan.com
	Situated on Westfield Avenue north of Browning Road in Pennsauken NJ, this monument is dedicated to those who served in all wars.