Navy Beach Jumpers Memorial Marker
Ocracoke Island, NC

 Executive Board proposal for the general membership meeting on November 7, 2008 at the San Diego Reunion.

 One of the goals of this association has always been to have some type of memorial erected honoring all Navy Beach Jumpers. Recently the Board of Directors approved an Associate Membership for Earl W. O'Neal, USAR Ret. of Ocracoke, NC. Earl is the island historian as well as being on the State Historical Society, in addition to the various other hats he wears in the course of the day. Earl has volunteered to help the association get through all the red tape and necessary paperwork, Environmental Impact Assessment and such,  so that we may get permission to erect a memorial marker on the island.
 Ocracoke was the original training area for the very first Beach Jumpers. It was selected for its remoteness due to the secrecy of the Beach Jumper mission in 1943. The proposed marker location would be on the scenic byway near the historical Loop Shack Hill where the BJs trained. The Board of Directors felt this would be a fitting location for such a memorial marker.

 The original idea of a ten plus foot monument as discussed at the 2006 reunion, had to be disregarded as monuments are not allowed to be erected on National Park Service Property.

 Funding: It would be necessary for the association to raise $15,000 or more for such a marker. This of course would be voted on at our next general membership meeting. In the meantime, we would like to ask our members to complete a PLEDGE (on the right column) if you feel you want to be a part of this historic memorial and have your name engraved on the marker to be remembered forever. The form on the right is only a PLEDGE, however if you want to send in a donation a Memorial Fund account has now been established. Pledges and donations will give the committee an idea of how much revenue can expected to be collected from our members. A report will be given at the 2008 meeting.
 

Thank you,
Beach Jumpers Memorial Marker Committee

Example of an existing marker on Ocracoke Island: