After stolen plaque remade, Watertown hosting rededication of 10th Mountain monument
Last August, someone removed one of the four plaques on the monument and stole it. No one has been charged in the theft.
The city, which owns the monument, is hosting the rededication at 9 a.m. Saturday.
"It's an excellent event," Parks and Recreation Superintendent Scott M. Weller said.
Sculptor Susan Grant Raymond — the Boulder, Colorado-based artist who designed the monument devoted to the 10th Mountain Division and its soldiers — has recreated the plaque from the mold that she used to create the monument eight years ago.
The community and Fort Drum soldiers were in disbelief when the several-hundred-pound plaque turned up missing.
They couldn't understand why someone would steal the bronze relief, which was about 4 1/2 to 5 feet long and 2 1/2 feet wide in size. The section that was stolen was the Global War on Terror side, which honors the history from 2001 until present day. It commemorates the time period when 10th Mountain soldiers were in Iraq.
The monument event also will commemorate the U.S. Army's 250th birthday.
After the ceremony, the park also will host the YMCA Healthy Kids Day at 10 a.m.
The Fort Drum Army rock band will perform, and there will be birthday cake cutting, Army history and displays, a bounce house, ninja course, face painting and much more.
Parks and Recreation Department officials are calling the day a fun event for kids and families.
If it rains, the kids events will be moved inside to the YMCA at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds.
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