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Vietnam veteran Ron Smith was the driving force behind establishing the Franklin County Veterans Memorial at the Annex Building, and a special dedication was made in his memory Monday as a tribute to it being placed at a more visible location on the property.

Smith passed away on June 30, and County Mayor Chris Guess said it seemed fitting to have the monument dedicated in his memory.

“I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Ron Smith who began this project and was a strong and constant advocate for veterans everywhere,” Guess said following the presentation. “Even though Ron has gone to what we are all sure is heaven, we know he is looking down proud of this memorial.

“Thank you to Ron’s wife, Linda, for supporting Ron in this endeavor and for sharing him with us. To all our veterans, may this memorial always serve as a place of solace, reflection and honor.”

Mrs. Smith said the dedication was overwhelming.

“It means the world to me,” she said. “Ron did a lot of things people didn’t know about, and this was special to him. He put everything he had into it.”

Guess said that when he became mayor in 2022, he and Smith had discussed moving the monument on the Annex’s east side farther north toward the main entrance so it would be more visible to those entering and exiting the building. He added that since Smith had passed away, he felt obligated to see the wish come true.

Smith’s son, Bruce Smith, spoke on behalf of his father’s dedication to military personnel.

“First, I would like to say thank you to the men and women of the military — past, present and future — for your service,” he said. “It is an honor and a pleasure to stand in front of you today to honor my father.”

The younger Smith said his father was first a Christian, a husband and father and a proud veteran.

“These three things defined my father,” he said.

The younger Smith highlighted his father’s military contribution.

He explained that the elder Smith was drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1966 when he was 19 and was sent to Vietnam with the 11^th Armored Calvary Blackhorse Regiment, G Troup as an armor intelligence specialist.

On June 5, 1967, while doing a search-and-destroy mission, his tank along with another hit a land mine, killing two and injuring 14 others, including himself.

Despite the heavy rounds of sniper fire and his own wounds, the elder Smith was able to get out of the tank to pull other injured soldiers out of harm’s way.

The elder Smith finished his full-time military career at Fort Carson, Colorado, and remained a reservist until April 1972 when he was given an honorable discharge.

The elder Smith received several medals for his heroism, including a Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal and Vietnam Service Medal with a Bronze Star.

From the Republic of Vietnam, he was presented with the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with a Palm Unit Citation Badge, among others.

The younger Smith explained why his father had such a deep passion for having the monument.

“My father always talked about never getting the welcome home he and his fellow veterans deserved from that era,” he said. “He wanted to do something to help remember and honor all fallen veterans from all branches of the military and all wars.

“He came up with this project and ran with it proudly. He was passionate about it. He would be pleased today.”

The younger Smith said that his father never met a stranger and is greatly missed by all who knew him.

“Thank you from our family for this honor for our veteran, Ron Smith,” he said.

The monument features paving stones that include veterans’ names, their theatre of service and the time that they served.

For further information about purchasing paving stones at $50 each, contact Douglas Freund at 815-861-8091 or David Jordan at 931-607-5836.