Honor all veterans
Editor, The Commercial:
On Monday, May 26, 2025, we as Americans united to honor veterans nationwide — brave men and women of all races who have served and continue to serve. We pay special tribute to those who sacrificed to defend our freedom.
Each year, the Pine Bluff Initiative for Community Veterans Recognition (PBICVR) places flags around the monument, a symbol of remembrance and respect for our veterans.
This 78-year-old monument, dedicated on July 20, 1947, now stands proudly on the Jefferson County courthouse grounds near the new Veterans Building. It is a rare monument, unique in honoring African American soldiers from Pine Bluff and Jefferson County, marking a significant moment in history.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The names inscribed — James Alexander, William Calhoun, Joseph Fair, Ivory Glover, Abary Jenkins, Albert Johnson, Almire Pittman, Napoleon Pittman, M. McDougal, Nathaniel Manning, Freddie O’Hair, Charlie Parish, Joseph Ragland, R.B. Wynn, Clarence Young, William Young and Hildreth Nicholson — echo the legacy of courage and sacrifice.
Joseph Ragland, a remarkable figure who lived on the Trulock Plantation, served as a Navy cook on the USS Essex. In the face of adversity, he self-trained on anti-aircraft guns, demonstrating remarkable bravery during attacks by Japanese Kamikaze pilots, which resulted in approximately 20 enemy fatalities.
Mr. Joseph Ragland’s valorous service deserves posthumous recognition. Relocating the WWII Monument to the new Veteran facility will honor Ragland’s legacy and ensure that it is cherished by the many veterans and visitors who will gather there.
This request has been submitted to the Judge multiple times and once to members of the Quorum Court.
Rev. Jesse c. Turner,
Pine Bluff