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Florida history: Women vets to highlight Veterans Park on Okaloosa Island

News-Journal - 7/30/2020

OKALOOSA ISLAND -- By Veterans Day 2021, Okaloosa County officials plan to have a women veterans' memorial completed at Veterans Park.

The memorial will consist of eight bronze, life-like statues of women who made significant military service contributions during periods of major conflicts throughout U.S. history.

The county has a little more than $5.7 million in county bed tax money, grants and donations for the memorial and other park upgrades, including shoreline improvements, a trail, pavilion, gateway and elevated boardwalks.

The statues will line the trail at the 17.5-acre park, which stands next to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center and Choctawhatchee Bay.

The memorial was suggested by District 2 Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel. The eight women to be honored at the memorial were chosen by the county Women's Veteran Memorial Advisory Committee and approved by the County Commission.

More: Florida veteran gets surprise parade for 90th birthday on Memorial Day

Here are the names and bios of the honorees, by war:

Revolutionary War / Margaret Corbin:

When the war began, Corbin's husband joined the Continental Army, and she went with him. While defending Fort Washington in New York, her husband was killed by a Hessian musket ball. With no time to grieve, she continued loading and firing a canon by herself.

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