Henderson adds names of 43 local veterans to its memorial wall at Water Street Plaza ahead of Veterans Day

What happened

The city of Henderson held its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday in the amphitheater at Water Street Plaza, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. During the event, the names of 43 veterans that had been newly engraved on the Henderson Veterans Memorial Wall were read aloud. The ceremony was held ahead of the Veterans Day holiday on Wednesday.

Three of the 43 veterans have died and were honored posthumously, according to the Review-Journal. Members of the Henderson Symphony Orchestra played Taps in their honor.

About the Henderson Veterans Memorial Wall

The memorial is a circle of upright stone slabs surrounding a fountain next to Henderson City Hall, the Review-Journal reported. More than 2,000 names of local veterans were already engraved on it before Saturday's additions. City officials said it is the only memorial of its kind in Southern Nevada.

How the wall has grown

When the wall was dedicated in 1994, it carried the names of 1,200 veterans and service members who lived in Henderson during their service, according to the Review-Journal. The wall sits directly above the plaza amphitheater where Saturday's ceremony took place.

Inside the ceremony

Program and speakers

The hourlong program included a presentation of colors and remarks from keynote speaker Falisha Rexford, an honorary commander at Creech Air Force Base. Rexford spoke about service members who miss birthdays and holidays with their families. "They understood that service to their country would require sacrificing the very moments that make life worth living," she said, as quoted by the Review-Journal.

At the end of the program, Henderson City Council member Monica Larson invited the audience, made up largely of veterans and their families, to pay their respects at the memorial wall. More stories about local gatherings and events can be found in our community coverage.

Veterans and families recognized

A Gulf War veteran's reaction

Daryl Mayfield, a 73-year-old retired Air Force munitions specialist, was among the 43 veterans whose names were added. He told the Review-Journal he got chills when he was recognized. "I'm proud that the community recognizes the veterans here," Mayfield said.

Mayfield retired from the Air Force in 1994 while stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, then worked as an educator with the Clark County School District for two decades, the Review-Journal reported. He said he served in the Persian Gulf War, where he helped build bombs, and also served in Korea for more than a year. He said he wears a cap honoring his wartime service not for praise, but because he believes in the work he did overseas.

Honoring those who have died

Laura Prendergast came to the plaza for her son, Nicholas Mueller, an Army veteran whose name is now on the wall. She told the Review-Journal he died in a motorcycle crash this year, and he was listed alongside other veterans who have died. She was joined by her husband, her daughter, who is also a veteran, and her son's friends.

Why it matters for Henderson

The wall honors local veterans and service members who were Henderson residents during their service. It has grown from 1,200 names at its 1994 dedication to more than 2,000 before this year's group of 43 was added, according to the Review-Journal.

The Review-Journal also noted that a separate $10 million veterans memorial in northwest Las Vegas is scheduled to hold its grand opening on Veterans Day.

What to watch next

• Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, following Henderson's Saturday ceremony at Water Street Plaza.
• The grand-opening event for a $10 million veterans memorial in northwest Las Vegas is set for Veterans Day, according to the Review-Journal.
• The 43 newly engraved names can be viewed at the Henderson Veterans Memorial Wall next to Henderson City Hall.