COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A local war memorial that had been damaged by traffic twice in recent years has been repaired and moved to a new home. The Linden War Memorial now sits in the park outside the Linden Community Center. David Bowers, a Linden resident and Vietnam War Veteran spent some time by it Tuesday afternoon. A close childhood friend of his was killed in Vietnam. “Lt. Dingus Banks was killed in 1967 and that's when I was there," Bowers said as he pointed at his friend's name. "I’m 77 years old and it hurts to look at that name because we were very close. We were on the same track team at Linden McKinley. I’m so blessed to be here to be able to see this.” Why fighter jets may be flying over Chillicothe and southeastern Ohio Spending time by his friend's name is never easy emotionally. It has not always been easy physically either. The memorial used to be at the busy intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Westerville Road. “It just broke my heart when I saw it all torn down," Bowers said. "This whole half was gone. I guess a car hit it, and it's been that way for years. And it just broke my heart to see nobody doing anything." The memorial was hit by a car in 2019 and again in 2021. The city this past spring approved funding to get it fixed and moved to the park by the Linden Community Center. There was a rededication ceremony on Tuesday afternoon. “These ordinary people did extraordinary things and their commitment to protecting our freedoms is something we should always remember," Chief Master Sgt. Edward Taylor with the Ohio Air National Guard said. The memorial has names of those from Linden who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Bowers hopes with the new location, more will come to honor those lives. Home contractor to serve over seven years in prison for fraud in Delaware County “I like where it's at, where people can come now and park and come and see it and any veteran or anybody in the Linden area, I urge them to come and look at this and remember these soldiers, Marines, and Navy people that gave their lives not just for our country but for our neighborhood," he said.  Local veterans also said they hope the memorial will be included in future Memorial Day ceremonies.