New Marine Corps detachment to dedicate memorial

HANOVER TWP. — The recently chartered Hamilton area detachment of the Marine Corps League, a league of both veterans and those currently serving, has been putting forward strong efforts in community involvement and awareness.

“We want the community to know why we’re here, and we want Marines to see us so they know they can come into our detachment,” said Phil Fazzini, member and Senior Vice Commandant.

This detachment, federally chartered on May 30, 2009, is the 2nd Lt. Terrence C. Graves Detachment, named after Miami University alumni Graves, who was killed in action in Vietnam at age 22 and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Their activities include providing a color guard for Veterans Day ceremonies and servicing a booth at the Millville Homecoming. The group is working toward placing memorial bricks for Marines at the Hanover Twp. Park Veterans Memorial. Their next undertaking, a fairly major one in comparison, involves dedicating a Marine memorial bench in the Hanover Twp. Park.

“When people think of Marines, they first think of warriors, and rightfully so, but we have a strong commitment to community,” Fazzini said.

The Marine memorial bench is scheduled to be dedicated May 21, adjacent to the Hanover Twp. Park Veterans Memorial at the corner of Old Oxford Road and Morman Road. The marble bench will have Graves’ name engraved on it, as well as an engraved dedication “to the memory of those Marines who went before, and all those who will follow.”

The current memorial at Hanover Twp. Park was for veterans of the area by the trustees. The new bench memorial is by veterans for veterans. It is also one of the few memorials in the state dedicated specifically to the efforts of the Marines.

The detachment was a result of several people deciding the Marines in the area should get something started more locally. Previously, if a Marine wanted to join a detachment they had to commute to Cincinnati.

The Lt. Graves detachment meets on the first Tuesday of the month at the Millville Community Center, 2869 Ross-Hanover Road.

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