Loveland – Some were topped with white hair and their bellies sagged over their belts. The younger ones came with their wives or husbands or their children on their arms.
But when it came time to salute the ones who couldn’t be there on Friday – Veterans Day – they all stood tall.
There also seemed to be many more than in previous years.
“I remember a few years ago when we could only get about 30 or so people at the Veterans Day parade,” said Joe Montoya,whose 23 years in the military included the Vietnam War. “This year we had about 5,000 watching. It was something.”
And veterans in Loveland have achieved an even higher status, thanks to Friday’s unveiling of the “Some Gave All” memorial at Dwayne Webster Veterans Park.
It is the first memorial dedicated to war veterans in Loveland, which has about 150 other sculptures.
The memorial consists of a 5-foot-high sculpture of an M-16 rifle plunged into the ground and a soldier’s helmet resting on the rifle butt. Created by famed military sculptor James N. Muir, the piece depicts the weariness of war and the sacrifices by those who fight.
The sculpture rests on a granite-faced pedestal and forms the centerpiece of a memorial that will list the names of known veterans from Loveland who have died in combat.
Encircling the pedestal is a series of sandstone panels arranged in a timeline from World War I to the present. Inscribed on each panel are the dates of a major conflict, its duration and the number of veterans from Loveland who died.
The sculpture, worth about $25,000, was donated by Muir. The Loveland community chipped in another $50,000 to build the rest of the memorial, said former Mayor Treva Edwards Heiser.
Heiser helped lead the effort to build the memorial as a testament to the Loveland residents who fought, and sometimes died, for their country.
“I saw a model for the sculpture and I told my husband ‘Let’s do it. This is for Loveland,”‘ Heiser said.
Heiser, whose family includes several war veterans, hopes to raise another $10,000 to build a memorial walk to the sculpture that will be handicap-accessible.
Veterans from World War II to the Gulf War and their families assembled at the park Friday for the memorial’s unveiling. Many wore caps symbolizing their service, while a few others dressed in full uniform.
The master of ceremonies was Montoya, who put a lighthearted touch on a solemn day. “Let’s laugh and celebrate our time in the service,” Montoya said. “Let’s save our tears for Memorial Day.”
Staff writer Monte Whaley can be reached at 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
