We want to thank Michelle Hawley and the veterans
groups that first proposed a local memorial for Michelle. They recognized
that Michelle’s death, in combat, was historically significant. A fact
that was underscored when the Wisconsin Historical Society listed
Michelle’s death as the number one story on their list of “Top Ten
Stories” of 2004. They wrote, in part, “Michelle Witmer of New Berlin,
the National Guard's first female soldier to be killed in combat, was a
member of the Wisconsin National Guard…(and) was the first member of the
Wisconsin National Guard to be killed in combat since World War II.”
Michelle’s death represents both the changing role of women in the
Military and the changing role of reservist in the armed forces.
We want to thank Alderman Hopkins, Mayor Wysocki and
all the members of the City Council and sub-committee for moving this
forward. Michelle would love the fact that a street, named in her honor
runs in front of a beautiful new library. Michelle’s Grandfather had a
private library containing thousands of volumes and she learned to love
reading at an early age, when her mother took her on weekly trips to our
local library. They always returned with shopping bags full of books.
Even more significant is the fact that Michelle believed in all that
as American library represents: the free and open exchange of ideas. It
was a concept she was willing to defend with her life.
While we, as Michelle’s family, have never felt that
the City of New Berlin owes us anything, we do believe this proposal is an
an honorable thing. We are proud to be a part of it and a part of this
City.