BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield will now have a new way to remember its fallen heroes: a World War II Memorial is set to be unveiled on Saturday, December 10th.
The memorial has been under construction at Jastro Park since June. It features the sculpture of a woman holding a child.
23ABC spoke to the sculptor, and he shared why the decision was made to add it and what it symbolizes.
"Well, if we use a soldier, then it excludes our sailors and if we use a sailor, it's not an airman," explained Benjamin Victor, sculptor of the monument. "He said, what about a mother? A young mother and she's holding her young son in her arms, and she just got the news and a notification from the government that her husband is not going to come back. That could be a sailor, soldier, airman, it could be anyone who served. And it represents all of the names that are behind her on the granite."
The unveiling ceremony is at 10 a.m. and serves as a dedication day to veterans.