After Concerns Over Gun, Milford Approves Veterans Memorial

MILFORD (WWJ/AP) - A suburban Detroit community has approved plans for a veterans memorial that earlier raised concerns in part because it included a depiction of a gun.

Milford Village Council voted Monday to approve construction of "The Battlefield Cross" in the Veterans Memorial portion of the community's Central Park. The statue depicts combat boots with a M-16 rifle dug in the ground and a helmet resting on top of the rifle.

The vote was met by cheers from an overflow crowd.

In recent weeks, concerns also had been raised about the memorial's planned size and location -- with many questioning if a park was the right place for the depiction of a weapon.

Eric Galbraith, who served with the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, was thrilled village officials decided to approve plans.

"There's been so much sacrifice within the community here," Galbraith told The Oakland Press. "Now that they (approved) it, I'm absolutely thrilled — it's such a relief. ... I couldn't have been happier with the way things turned out."

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