Sunday, Veterans Day, the new Veterans Wall of Honor was dedicated at the corner of U.S. Highway 12 and state Route 7. About 50 people, many of them veterans themselves, showed up to honor the roughly 100 names so far listed on ceramic tiles along the black wall.

The names are of soldiers, both living and dead, who served in any of five branches of the military: Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard.

Al Orr, of the American Legion Tilton River Post No. 215, was the man who pushed for the wall to be built. He was beaming with pride at the dedication ceremony Sunday.

Were looking to fill it up with names, he said, noting there is space for about 450 names. Were honoring the living and the deceased with this. Its not a memorial. Its a wall of honor.

Orr said hed been working to get the wall built for two to three years, but it wasnt until last spring that construction of the concrete wall began. There is still work to be done. Orr said he has some tiles that still must be placed and there are plans to decorate the east side of the wall (the side without names) with emblems representing the five military branches.

Dean Lokken, post commander for the Tilton River post, said he expects the wall to become a crucial part of Morton.

I think this will eventually become a tourist attraction, he said. We have already noticed a lot of people are very enthusiastic about this. Its a nice addition to the town.

The wall sits on property owned by the nearby Seasons Motel. Lokken said that motel owner Harrison Christian volunteered the property to the American Legion for the wall.

The Morton-based American Legion post collected funds from a number of sources to build it. Contributors included the Storm King American Legion post and Lions Club, both in Mineral, and Mossyrocks Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Ken Schmidt, pastor of Morton Community Bible Church, provided an invocation for both the groundbreaking earlier this year and Sundays dedication. He said he was honored to be part of such an event.

I think the appropriate words are never forget, he said during the dedication. This wall is something that will help us do that.

Lewis County Commissioner Lee Grose also spoke at the dedication Sunday. He told of his uncle, his namesake, who was shot down and killed while flying over Germany in World War II. Grose also said both of his brothers are Vietnam War veterans, and his father-in-law is a World War II veteran.

Without you, we wouldnt be here today. We wouldnt be standing here saying the things we want to say and doing the things we want to do, he said, later adding, We really appreciate the work the veterans have done and the wars theyve fought. It hasnt gone unnoticed. Youll always be in my heart.

Also speaking Sunday was Theresa Wetzel, a 20-year Army veteran who is now serving in the Army National Guard. Wetzel said the common theme throughout her military career and her life has been the kinship shes felt with other veterans.

She said the new Veterans Wall of Honor is a way to share that with the entire community.

Veterans today serve silently, she said. We live in our communities and the kids dont necessarily see us, they dont know what weve down. But, now they can look at this wall.

Amanda Haines covers municipal government and health for The Chronicle. She may be reached at 807-8245, or by e-mail at ahaines@chronline.com.