By Susan Field

Morning Sun

John Ellsworth was relieved when he got the phone call Friday night.

What he had suspected turned out to be true -- juveniles doing an ignorant act of vandalism on the Iraqi Freedom memorial at Island Park, which is dedicated to the memory of his son, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Justin M. Ellsworth, who died in Iraq in 2004.

Ellsworth, of Walled Lake and national events coordinator for Families United, got word from Mt. Pleasant Police Friday that the two vandals had, in the presence of their parents, admitted to the destruction of the monument, which is dedicated to all Iraqi Freedom soldiers.

A tip from someone who didn’t want the $5,000 reward but led police to the suspects because his grandfather is a veteran, led to the discovery of the stolen bronze rifle and helmet in the Chippewa River near Pickens Field, a baseball/softball park located across the river from Island Park.

Although Ellsworth and his family were dismayed at the vandalism -- the second at the site in two years -- he was relieved that it was not a political statement.

“I thought that all along,” Ellsworth said Monday. “I hoped for that outcome.”

While Ellsworth is relieved, he is equally thankful of the Mt. Pleasant Police Department’s investigation into the vandalism.

Unlike many in the public who have called for swift punishment of the vandals, Ellsworth hopes that their punishment will include education on the value of what the military does for the citizens of the United States.

“That age needs to be educated as to what the military does for the country,” he said. “I don’t want a lynch mob mentality.

“My focus has been to educate rather than retribution.”

Ellsworth also vowed Monday that the memorial will return but he does not yet know the extent of damage or whether more bronze must be ordered.

“We will get it back up,” he said. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”

Ellsworth also remains in awe of the overwhelming community support and response to the vandalism.

He credited Linda Fabian, who looks after the monument and who had the devastating task of calling Ellsworth for the second time to inform him of the destruction of the memorial.

Ellsworth said the act does not reflect on the community, which offered an outpouring of support and donations to rebuild the monument.

Police are submitting the investigation report to Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick with juvenile petitions, Mt. Pleasant Police Public Information Officer Dave Sabuda said in an earlier report.