INDEPENDENCE -- It took almost seven years after the end of the Vietnam War before a national memorial was built to honor those who didn't come home.

It took almost 40 years before veterans of the Korean War received their memorial, and 60 for World War II veterans.

Last November, Army Chief Warrant Officer Erik C. Kesterson, 29, of Independence was killed when the Black Hawk helicopter he was piloting collided with another helicopter in Mosul, Iraq.

His parents, Clay and M.J. Kesterson say honoring those who've made the ultimate sacrifice is far too important to put off.

The Independence couple has recently founded a nonprofit organization, the Afghan-Iraqi Freedom War Memorial Fund, to raise money for a monument dedicated to all Oregon soldiers who've served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The project will be located on the grounds of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs complex in Salem.

"It's too difficult to just sit around and do nothing," Clay said. "We just decided we don't want to wait another 40 years, like it's been for past conflicts."

Clay said it wasn't long after Erik died last year that he and his wife approached the City of Independence about creating a memorial for Oregon military men and women in the Middle East.

"We have some of the highest losses in the country," Clay said. "Oregon's military is well trained, so the chances of them getting deployed are very good.

"We wanted to honor them the way they've honored us," he added.

Unable to find an appropriate site in town, the Kestersons contacted state officials and were then put in contact with the ODVA, which offered to site the project on the north side of its offices near the Capitol.

A rough design of the memorial by architect Jane Honbeck of Independence features a 10-by-15-feet reflecting pool that has a map of the world that rises above the surface of the water.

A statue of a soldier will stand atop a granite pedestal -- with the engraved names of fallen troops and their branch of the armed forces -- at one end of the pool.

Honbeck said the concept was created from an amalgam of photos of soldiers in the Middle East she's seen on the Internet, and is supposed to represent service men and women reaching out to people of different nations.

"We've seen the artist rendition, and it's a beautiful memorial," ODVA Deputy Director Paula Brown said. "I think it's representative of how many Oregonians feel about their servicemen."

The Kestersons are trying to raise $500,000 for the project and will break ground as soon as the funds are available. Clay said the Oregon National Guard Combat Engineer Battalion has already expressed interest in doing the excavation and pipe work.

The couple plans on setting up informational booths at sporting and entertainment events, arranging benefit concerts and other activities to secure the money to complete the memorial. Leftover cash will go toward an emergency relief fund for military families.

Clay said he and his wife will do whatever it takes to make sure the memorial becomes reality.

"We need to honor troops that are over there right now," he said. "I see no reason to wait until years later.

"We want the soldiers from Oregon to know that there is a place of honor for them."

More infornmation on the war memorial fund is available by contacting Clay and M.J. Kesterson at 503-606-2765 or at 763 Cessna St., Independence.

They can also be contacted via e-mail at Kesterson4@aol.com. Their website is www.freedomisntfreeoregon.org.