Greenwood WWII vet honored with brick on Monument Circle

As “America the Beautiful” rang out and small American flags waved in the breeze, the tears started to well up.

Marvin Cave stood before 17 members of his family Monday morning, soaking it all in. The Greenwood resident and World War II veteran had just turned 95 the previous day, and his family had one more gift for him.

They presented him with an engraved brick listing his name, rank and military service, which will now be a permanent part of downtown Indianapolis’ Soldiers and Sailors Monument. As the scene unfolded, Cave couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the emotion.

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“I just learned about it today. They were pretty secretive about what they’re doing. But it’s quite an honor to join a lot of brave people here,” he said.

The family celebrated their patriarch during a special ceremony on the Circle, featuring the brick presentation, patriotic music by family friend Tim Wright and words from Brig. Gen. J. Stewart Goodwin, executive director of the Indiana War Memorials Commission.

Cave was appreciative of all that his family had arranged. But he stressed that the gesture was more than about him; it was a testament and remembrance to all of those who have served the country, particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

“I was not a hero. The real heroes were so numerous and went through so much. I wasn’t in that category,” he said.

Cave joined the U.S. Navy in 1943, when he was just 17 years old. He grew up on a farm in the small community of Crystal, just outside of French Lick. A basketball star, he led French Lick High School to consecutive 20-win seasons in 1942 and 1943, attracting scholarship offers from colleges around the Midwest.

But he was more interested in serving his country. He begged his father to give his consent so he could enlist, and on May 21, 1943, he was sworn into the Navy.

“I got my dad’s signature, since I was only 17,” Cave said. “He didn’t like it very much, but I talked him into it.”

For three years, Cave served on the USS White Plains, an escort carrier that helped provide support in fighting throughout the Pacific Theater during World War II.

After leaving the service in 1946, he returned to Indiana and enrolled in college. He attended Butler University, where he walked on to the basketball team and played under coach Tony Hinkle. He married his wife, Patricia, in 1947, and the following year graduated from Butler with his degree in teaching.

Early in his career, Cave was a teacher and basketball coach at Worthington, Decatur Central and Frankfort high schools. He led Frankfort to three sectional titles in four years, and in 1954, defeated both Milan and Muncie Central high schools — the two teams that would meet in the legendary state title game that year.

But Cave decided to leave teaching and landed a job with Eli Lilly Co. By the time he retired, he was a vice president of personnel for the company.

Living such a varied and impactful life, his family wanted to find a special way to celebrate his 95th birthday. The idea to honor Cave with a brick on Monument Circle came from Jeff Cave’s wife, Gretchen, who uncle had received one earlier.

They contacted Goodwin and the Indiana War Memorials Commission to arrange the commemorative brick.

“There’s not too many World War II veterans left anymore,” Jeff Cave said. “(Goodwin) was excited that Dad was still alive.”

The Indiana War Memorials Foundation’s Bricks of Honor program helps raise money to support Indianapolis’ memorials by offering personalized bricks for U.S. service members, installed around Monument Circle.

Veterans from all branches of the military are represented, as are those who took part in the major wars of the past century. More than 4,000 bricks have been installed. With an estimated 1.5 million visitors passing along Monument Circle each year, the tributes are in one of the city’s most highly trafficked areas, Goodwin said.

“About a million and a half people will see these bricks, and make note of who these people are that we’re honoring,” he said.

The family had celebrated with Cave on Sunday, enjoying a dinner together at Harry & Izzy’s. Then a larger group — including grandchildren and great-grandchildren — gathered on Monday for the brick-presenting ceremony.

They got in touch with Wright, a member of the local musical group the Wright Brothers, who knew Cave’s family from French Lick. He came to the ceremony to perform a medley of patriotic songs.

Goodwin spoke about the importance of Cave’s service, and all the men and women who served the country during World War II, as they earned the moniker “the Greatest Generation.”

“They actually changed the history of our world. If they hadn’t done what they did, we wouldn’t be here doing the things that we’re doing today. And I guarantee you we wouldn’t be speaking English,” he said.

While the ceremony was going on, an employee from Indiana War Memorials set the brick directly in front of the south-facing side of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Cave and those gathered with him crowded around it, posing for photographs. The smile on Cave’s face never wavered.

He downplayed the heroism of his service. But Goodwin did no such thing.

“What he did was very special, and it takes someone very special to do what he did. He signed a piece of paper saying he’d give up to and including his life to protect people that he would never know, so these people could keep their freedoms. He’d leave his family, he’d leave his home, he would go wherever the military told him to go,” Goodwin said.

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Bricks of Honor

What: Lasting tributes that honor the memory of individual American veterans.

Who: The commemorative bricks are sold by Indiana War Memorials Foundation, which supports the Indiana War Memorials Commission in honoring the history and sacrifice of Hoosier veterans.

Where: All the bricks are located on the circle surrounding the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Cost: A brick can be purchased for $125. Each brick will be engraved with the service member’s name, rank, branch of service and dates of service.

Information: indianawarmemorials.org/commemorate

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