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Jessica Nelms

Construction is continuing on the Scroll of Honor memorial that will be located across from the east side of Clemson Memorial Stadium. The project, which includes the names of 468 of the 472 alumni who have died in every conflict from World War I to Iraq and Afghanistan, is scheduled to open next year.

CLEMSON — Clemson City Council members have unanimously agreed to contribute $5,000 to sponsor a permanent monument on the Clemson University campus that honors alumni who gave their lives in the service of this country.

The funding will come from money allotted in the Local Option Accommodations Tax fund for new events to be started or hosted in Clemson.

“These people have given their lives for us and their country, and this is a small amount of money,” said Mayor Pro Tem Butch Trent.

The Clemson Corps has coordinated an effort to erect a Scroll of Honor Memorial, to be located adjacent to the east gate of Memorial Stadium, and is seeking donations for the project. A groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial was held in September 2008.

Retired Air Force Brigadier General Hap Carr, past chairman of the Clemson Corps, said the Corps discovered that Memorial Stadium was constructed in 1942 to honor the memory of Clemson alumni who died in military service. But Carr said they also found there was no mention of those individuals on or near the stadium.

As a result, Carr said the Corps eventually identified 468 of the 472 overall individuals, using criteria that included active duty service and performing military duties at the time of their death. The soldiers were killed from World War I through the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq — among the more than 10,000 overall who have represented Clemson University in military service.

“We’re interested in honoring the 468 who never came home, who sacrificed what we enjoy today in this country,” Carr said.

Carr told council that Clemson University President Jim Barker approved the project in 2007, allowing the Corps to move forward in fundraising for the design. The overall cost of the project is $1.2-$1.4 million, and more than $894,000 has been raised so far.

“This has been a passion for a long time and long overdue,” Carr said, adding that the plaza will feature “two massive Tigers located at the entrance.” Not only will an Indian Burial Ground, surrounded by rocks and the 468 names be part of the project’s initial phase, an entry plaza for visitors is now under construction and connecting the site to the stadium is in future plans.

A dedication ceremony is planned from 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. April 22, 2010, featuring family members of the honorees. In addition to asking the city to become a major sponsor, Carr said the Corps is also seeking the issuance of a proclamation declaring that date “Scroll of Honor Memorial Day.”

While the memorial will contain 468 names, Carr said it has room enough for 1,100. However, he quickly added, “We hope we never have to use that.”

Col. Sandy Edge, USAF (Ret) and past chairman of the Clemson Corps Board of Directors, told council that the project has benefited from contributions from alumni, athletic department officials and university staff.

“It’s been absolutely a positive — something long, long needed,” Edge said.

Clemson Mayor Larry Abernathy said the project is not only spectacular, but also something that is “hard not to get excited about.”

“People around this table, in one way or another, are all Clemson people, and if you’re truly a Clemson person, I don’t see how you could look at this and not quicken your pulse,” Abernathy said. “We’re defining forever a piece of our legacy.”

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