To mark today's 62nd anniversary of the U.S. flag-raising on Iwo Jima, and the central role played by Richfield resident Charles (Chuck) Lindberg, the city of Richfield has unveiled the design for a planned veterans' memorial.

Lindberg, who as a Marine corporal participated in the American conquest of the Pacific island in February 1945, is the last surviving person to have helped raise the first American flag on Japanese soil during World War II.

It was lowered hours later so a larger flag could be raised atop Mount Suribachi, producing the famous photograph.

The memorial was designed by Travis Gorshe, a World War II buff and member of the Richfield Arts Commission. A private group has raised about $27,000 toward the project's estimated cost of $500,000, according to Catherine Peloquin of the Richfield Parks and Recreation Board.

A groundbreaking is planned on Memorial Day in Veterans Memorial Park at 64th St. and Portland Avenue S.

Len Gudmunson, commander of the Fred Babcock VFW Post 5555 in Richfield and leader of the nonprofit corporation working on the memorial, said much of the funding will come from individual contributions of $400 for the right to have a veteran's name engraved on the memorial's granite tablets.

The memorial will honor veterans of the Army Air Forces, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, the merchant marine and Navy, and there is no Richfield residency requirement.

The memorial will have at its base a large rock with a bronze bust of Lindberg in uniform.