Veterans Memorial - Lions Park - Colchester, IL
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 40° 25.527 W 090° 47.753
15T E 686977 N 4477312
Stone and M2A1 105mm Howitzer as the memorial
Waymark Code: WMXDKZ
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 12/31/2017
Views: 0
County of memorial: McDonough County
Location of memorial: W. North St. (US-136) & Charles St., Lions Park, between pavilion and water tower, Colchester
Stone Text:
HONORING
ALL VETERANS
Assumptions can be make as to who created the display, the Lions - it is their park; the local VSO's...usually they do this sort of display...but nothing is markered and not one local could give me an answer.
This specific howitzer was manufactured as a M2A1 (later designated by the US Army as M101A1) on April 8th, 1949....so to late to have seen service in World War II, but this weapon was also used in Vietnam & Korea.
"The 105 mm M101A1 howitzer (previously designated M2A1) was an artillery piece developed and used by the United States. It was the standard U.S. light field howitzer in World War II and saw action in both the European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly gained a reputation for accuracy and a powerful punch. The M101A1 fired 105 mm (4.1 in) high explosive (HE) semi-fixed ammunition and had a range of 12,330 yards (11,270 m), making it suitable for supporting infantry.
"All of these qualities of the weapon, along with its widespread production, led to its adoption by many countries after the war. Its ammunition type also became the standard for many foreign countries' later models." ~ Wikipedia