Redlands statue honoring widows and orphans of WWII servicemen is vandalized
A bronze statue in Redlands of a child and mother holding a folded American flag was taken apart, possibly by thieves bent on selling scrap metal, a city official said Thursday.
Installed in 2008 at the veterans memorial near the eternal flame at Jennie Davis Park, the statue, titled “Widows and Orphans,” honored the families of servicemen killed in World War II.
Over the weekend, vandals removed the woman and the flag to possibly sell as scrap metal, according to Carl Baker, a spokesman for the city.
“All that’s left now is the child with the arms removed,” Baker said.
Baker said Redlands’ mayor noticed a portion of the statue was missing Saturday and notified Redlands police. He said photos of the statue were distributed to local metal recycling centers.
How the piece of art was removed is under investigation, Baker said, adding that the statue is hollow and wouldn’t be difficult to haul away.
“This is very emotional for the local residents, especially veterans and their families,” Baker said, adding that the city has a pretty sizable veteran community.
He said the statue holds a special place in the community because of the story behind it. Resident Wally Sanchez, a WWII veteran, had pushed to have the statue installed.
Sanchez, who died in 2005, wanted to honor his friend, Staff Sgt. Edward Warren, who took Sanchez’s place in a flying a mission because Sanchez’s wife was giving birth to their first child, according to Baker and the Redlands Daily Facts. Warren was killed in that mission and left behind a wife and son. Sanchez wanted to honor servicemen killed in the war who left behind families.
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