With a new landmark on the way, Kirksville will become a focal point for the military in Missouri.
Kirksville has been selected as the home for the new Missouri National Guard Hall of Fame, a move that was announced Thursday by the hall of fame’s board.
John J. Sastry is the chairman of the hall of fame as well as a Truman State graduate. He said several other locations were discussed, but Kirksville checked the boxes of what they were looking for.
The organization wanted to be away from Jefferson City to stave off pressure to induct certain people. And Kirksville has a long tradition of military service. Sastry highlighted that General John. J. Pershing graduated from Truman in 1880 before serving as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. The city is also the site of the Battle of Kirksville, where Union forces defeated a Confederate regiment in 1862.
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