DECATUR, IL- Sixty seven years after the end of World War II, Decatur and Macon County veterans who served in that conflict are being honored with their own memorial.         

A groundbreaking took place at the Decatur Civic Center Friday where the $300,000 memorial will be located.

The memorial will be a lasting tribute to those who lived and to the more than 300 Macon County residents who died in World War II.

About 16 million served in the armed forces during the war. The Department of Veterans' Affairs estimates there are only about 1.7 million World War II vets still alive.

The average age for a World War II veteran is now 89 years old.

The new memorial will be built fairly quickly, with construction expected to be completed in about one month. Money for the memorial was raised through private donations and a state grant.