WHITESBORO — Glenn Reed always wanted to honor his late father with a special tribute for veterans.

Soon his dream will become a reality as he and others from Whitestown plan to dedicate a new monument park. Reed and about seven others worked to create the Veteran's Memorial Park and Walk of Honor at the Whitestown American Legion Post 1113 that will be unveiled on Veterans Day. "There is a great camaraderie in this area between veterans," Reed said. "This is something that (should be for) all veterans."

The granite monument, which remains covered until the Nov. 11 dedication ceremony, is impressive at eight feet and will honor the five areas of service to include those who served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. The bottom inscription reads, "In memory and honor of those who serve and protect our great country."

More than 400 bricks with the names of Whitestown veterans or their family members who served will be laid down for a "Walk of Honor" pathway leading up to the monument and in a decorative circle in front. Granite benches and landscaping will be completed in the next week.

Whitestown's monument was in the works for three years before its completion, said Reed, a Yorkville resident.

Paying tribute to veterans isn't new to Mohawk Valley residents. A variety of memorials are scattered in different towns and last month a new one was erected in New Hartford. Monuments such as these are gaining in popularity, but there are already countless other tributes around the state, said Richard Pedro, executive director for the State American Legion. "People are appreciating veterans more because they see what they are doing right now," Pedro said. "There is a lot more awareness from the general public." Some older memorials are being updated to include veterans who served in the Persian Gulf and current Iraq wars.

For Reed, a sense of patriotism was part of his upbringing. His father, Keith Reed, was a survivor of the Battle of the Coral Sea. He was stationed on the USS Lexington that sank in a May 1942 attack by the Japanese. He died at age 50. His example inspired Glenn to enlist in the Navy and eventually serve in Vietnam from 1968 through 1970 in the submarine service. Since then Reed has become a member of Whitestown Post 1113 and fought in a campaign for all veterans to receive Veteran's Day off with pay. "This park means a lot for me because I dedicated myself to build this for him," Reed said. "He was my best friend."

Twin brothers and Army veterans Don and Robert Mullen also worked on the new memorial after building one in front of the village fire department building. "We sat down and everything clicked between the three of us," Don Mullen said. "We all worked on it after work and on weekends." The Mullens, all from Whitesboro, also wanted to pay tribute to their father, Robert Mullen, and uncles who also served in the Army. "My brother and I didn't serve in wartime, but it was the point of wanting to do something for the veterans," Don said. "It has been overwhelming, the amount of people who have come up to us to thank us — many with tears in their eyes."

Reed said he noticed a difference in the way veterans are treated today compared to when he returned home from Vietnam. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks seem to have made people "a bit more patriotic." "There seems to be more of an appreciation," he said. "They can do the things they do today because of the veterans protecting their freedoms. I believe in the veterans."

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