18,000-pound War Memorial dedicated to Prisoners of War near Mud Lake
TERRETON, Idaho (KIFI) – A new 18,000-pound memorial dedicated to Prisoners of War has been erected in West Jefferson Cemetery by Terreton and Mud Lake.
The memorial consists of two massive pieces of travertine engraved with words honoring a local hero.
Ray Cope, a POW from Mud Lake, was captured by the Japanese during the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941 – enduring 44 months of torture, starvation rations, beatings and sickness.
On Saturday, Ray’s son John Cope led the dedication of a new war memorial to his father, those taken captive at the Battle of Wake Island and all prisoners of war.
However, the memorial isn’t just dedicated to Cope. It’s dedicated to those taken captive at the Battle of Wake Island and all prisoners of war.
Men like Lewis W. Shamel, who wrote about his experiences as a Japanese prisoner in four different prison camps on mainland China and in Japan.
His niece Nancy Shamel shared his story with me at the memorial’s dedication.
He preserved his memories in a book called “A Cup of Rice” about his experiences as a Japanese prisoner in four different P.O.W. camps on mainland China and in Japan.
“He was a prisoner of war for four years under the Japanese prison system. They were horrible, horrible conditions,” Nancy said. “When they first captured them, they made them all take off their clothes and sit on the airstrip for two days with just a little bit of water.”
Lewis was 21 when he left to serve in World War II, weighing 185 pounds. When he returned, he weighed 89.
It is for these sacrifices that John Cope says we must remember and honor Prisoners of War.
“Always remember the sacrifices that the P.O.W. / MIAs (Missing in Action) have done for this country and this community,” Cope said. “When you put your name on the line to join the service, you’re committing to protecting our freedoms and following the Constitution of the United States.”
Construction of the memorial was a community effort led by Cope, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8893 and residents of Mud Lake and Terreton.
John Cope invites all to visit the new monument and reflect on the dedication of Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action.
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