The Brandon Building and Site Committee will recommend to the board of education on Feb.11 a permanent memorial to honor 2003 Brandon graduate Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle, who was killed in military action July 5, 2007. Miracle was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor.
The memorial will consist of a raised masonry flagpole base with an attached brass plaque in front of the flagpole at the new Brandon High School Activities Complex, due to open in August.
‘We appreciate this memorial,? said Glenn Miracle, Joseph’s father. ‘You chose not to forget our son.?
In addition, the memorial will also honor 1965 Brandon High School graduate Army Sgt. Thomas A. Sherman and 1966 graduate Marine LCPL James T. Sutton. Both men were killed in action during the Vietnam conflict, were active members of Brandon High School and on athletic teams.
Separate brass plaques beneath and adjacent to the Miracle plaque will be added.
The $3,500 project will be funded from the sale of armbands and private donations, with excess donations going to the Joseph A. Miracle Memorial Scholarship.
To date, 576 armbands have been purchased to help establish the memorial.
Area residents Wayne Wills, R. James Smith and Kim Torelli presented the memorial proposal to the committee.
The Brandon School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 11 at the Belle Ann Elementary gymnasium, 155 E. Glass Road.