Last plaque hung on original walls at military park

A World War II veteran and former POW from Somerton became the 2,010th and final plaque hung on the original walls at Yuma's Armed Forces Park.

Family members gathered at the downtown park Friday morning to hang a memorial plaque honoring their father, Frank Villaneda, who served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945.

"It was a very proud moment for me and my family," said son Johnny Villaneda, an officer with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, who hung the engraved granite plaque on the wall.

The plaque is made of solid granite and is eight inches high and 16 inches wide. It is engraved with Villaneda's name, rank, dates of service and the Army insignia.

"We wanted to honor him," said daughter Beatrice Villaneda Payan, of Somerton. "This way his grandchildren can come and see it also."

In addition to being the last plaque to be hung on the original walls, Villaneda they were hanging the plaque on his birthday and the day after his father's birthday.

The family said Villaneda, who was 22 when he enlisted, had been taken prisoner in Germany after the Battle of the Bugle when his unit's position was overrun.

Villaneda added that he thought that Armed Forces Park, the only one of its kind in the state, is a wonderful tribute to people who served in the military and a great way to show them respect.

The one-acre Armed Forces Park, located at 291 S. Gila St., consists of tiered walls covered with black granite plaques honoring members of the military, past and present. Work first began on the park in 2000 and was finished earlier this year.

The park honors active, former or retired service members in the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and National Guard. Plaques can be purchased for $125.

And each time a soldier, Marine, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard member with Yuma ties is killed while on active duty, a plaque is mounted at the park by members of the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee.

Art Nottingham, assistant chairman of the Military Affairs Committee, said more than seven years after the first plaque was hung, all the original walls are now covered in plaques.

"We already have four plaques for the new walls," Nottingham said. "All we are waiting for now is the granite to make the plaques."

Nottingham said the new plaques will be hung on one of the three newly built, shorter walls at the southwest corner of the park.

"These walls will have plaques on both sides of them," Nottingham said.

A construction crew was at the park Friday morning building three other walls on the northwest side of the park. On Wednesday a 50-foot flagpole was erected at the park.

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James Gilbert can be reached can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854