Lincoln Park, across the street from the state Capitol, has been referred to by various names over the past several years, most recently, Liberty Park and Veterans’ Park. It has been closed off and on for the past year in the wake of damage caused by homeless encampments.

A bill moving through the House this week intends to make the name Colorado Veterans’ Park permanent, as well as add a statue in memory of the highest-ranking serviceman killed by enemy fire in World War II.

Gen. Maurice Rose, a Jewish-American, attained the rank of major general before his death in 1945. He is buried in the American cemetery in the Netherlands.

Rose grew up in Denver, and his family, including a wife and son, all lived in Denver until his death. He graduated from East High and was the son and grandson of rabbis from Poland.

Rose has been referred to as “World War II’s Greatest Forgotten Commander,” largely because he was an intensely private man who did not seek glory and did not survive the war. Andy Rooney, in his book “My War,” called Rose the greatest tank commander of the war, one who led from the front.

House Bill 21-1257 lists some of the accomplishments of his units:

• First fire artillery shells into Germany
• First tank unit to enter Germany
• First to capture a German town
• First to shoot down a German plane with guns placed on German soil
• First armor unit to enter Cologne, Germany
• First ground invasion of Germany since Napoleon, and
• Record-holder for the longest one-day advance in history, 100 miles.

For those feats and many others, Rose was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Legion of Merit with an Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star with an Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf cluster, the French Legion of Honor, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm.

The proposed statue would be placed at the south end of Veterans’ Park, according to a presentation to the Capitol Building Advisory Committee on May 7. That presentation also noted that no Coloradan of Jewish heritage has ever been honored with a monument in the state. Rose Medical Center is among several entities named in his honor.

George Lundeen of Loveland has been commissioned to cast the sculpture, which will be in bronze and will be a permanent gift to the state.

The bill won an 8-2 vote on April 29 from the House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, with Reps. Rod Bockenfeld, R-Watkins, and Ron Hanks, R-Canon City, voting against. It is now awaiting debate in the House.