MASON CITY — Murray Lawson just had to come and see his name and that of his late father, Millard C. Lawson, newly etched on the Mason City Area Veterans Monument in Central Park.

There they are together: Millard, who served in the Army during World War I, and Murray, who served in the Navy during World War II.

They are two of 608 veterans’ names and military branches being etched into the monument, which was dedicated on Veterans Day 2004.

“I wish my dad was here so he could see that,” said Murray Lawson, 82, of Mason City. “I was brought up on World War I, and now to have his name next to mine, I’m just thrilled.”

Phase II of the monument is virtually complete as another Veterans Day approaches. With the help of local volunteers, Tate Viere of Viere’s Granite Carving in St. Joseph, Minn., has been etching the 608 names on nine black granite stones.

The monument now includes 2,845 names, from the Civil War era through current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I kind of anticipated the second phase would be a fairly large number,” said Doug Waychus, co-chairman of the Veterans Monument Task Force Committee. “I’m pleased that we got that many names. I think that really shows a good interest in the veterans and their families, that it was a good thing. There’s a lot of support out there for it.”

Viere planned to complete the second phase in time for the Veterans Day observance set for 9:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11.

A dedication ceremony for the new names will be held at the monument. It will feature a retirement of old flags by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, a flag-folding ceremony and the raising of new American and POW flags.

“It’s hard to drive by it and not feel some emotion and a little bit of a reality check that, ‘Gee, it’s there,’ ” Waychus said. “It’ll be nice to see it all done down there. It’ll be a showcase for Mason City and something everyone can be proud of.”

Murray Lawson said his dad would indeed be proud.

“I think he’d say, ‘What an incredible thing for a city to do,’ ” Lawson said. “It’s just a very, very nice memorial.”

Waychus said names will be added each year as long as applications are received. The cost is $100 to have a veteran’s name included. All honorably discharged veterans with Mason City connections are eligible. For more information, call (641) 749-2722 or visit www.masoncity.net and click on “Culture & Recreation” and the Monument link (applications are available online).

E-mail can be sent to waychusd@omnitelcom.com. Application forms also are available at the Cerro Gordo County Courthouse in Mason City.

Phase II of the Mason City Area Veterans Monument includes the addition this year of more than 600 names of area veterans or veterans with ties to North Iowa.

A total of 2,845 names are etched in the monument’s granite slabs, which were dedicated last Veterans Day.

The new names are expected to be added in time for this year’s Veterans Day observance on Friday, Nov. 11. A dedication ceremony for the new names will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the monument.

Here are the names added this year:

Photograph courtesy of Globe-Gazette
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2016