The City of Mason is proud to remember the men and women who served our country in the armed forces.
Neil Armstrong
The Mason Veterans Memorial was dedicated on Saturday, November 8, 2003. Over 1000 people, including at least 150 veterans, attended the event. The late Neil Armstrong, a Korean War veteran and the first man to walk on the moon, was the guest of honor. He was introduced by Congressman Rob Portman (U.S. House of Representatives, Second District) and spoke briefly about the history of aviation in armed conflicts in the United States.
Raising the flag at the dedication ceremony
In addition to Mr. Armstrong, Colonel Michael J. Belzil, Commander of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, also spoke. The significance of the memorial design was described through a poem by Lonna Kingsbury.
At the head of the memorial, a flag proudly waves above a wall depicting the five branches of the service: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy. At the base of the wall and around the flag are memorial bricks for veterans. These and other bricks to the sides of the memorial were purchased by citizens to help pay for its construction.
Tribute to the five branches of the armed forces
The main feature of the memorial is a set of 10 pillars representing the 10 major conflicts in American history. The height of each pillar is proportional to the number of casualties in the war. At the end of the row is a low stone representing the hope for peace and the end to casualties in war.
The pillars
An eternal flame at the lower end of the memorial will burn until all prisoners of war and missing in action are returned to American soil. It stands in front of a wall of tears that represents the sorrows of all those affected by war.
The eternal flame
The memorial is located at 6000 Mason-Montgomery Road in Mason, in front of the Mason Municipal Center.
Donations
Efforts to raise funds to support the memorial continue through the sale of brick pavers. Please click below to apply. For other donation opportunities, please contact the City of Mason at 513.229.8500. Memorial Brick Order Form
Renovations
The City will be investing in improvements to the Mason Veterans Memorial as part of its anniversary. This work includes new landscaping, lighting, concrete work, replacement of memorial bricks, the addition of the Space Force monument as well as a new Gold Star Families Memorial and Purple Heart Memorial.
The original bricks are no longer uniform in color and have lifted in areas in the Memorial creating potential trip hazards. Improvements to the Memorial include removing the original bricks, constructing an improved foundation and installing new bricks. The new bricks will be placed in same location with identical engraving as the original bricks.
Are you interested in purchasing an additional brick or a new brick? Click below for an order form.
Memorial Brick Order Form