Ahead of Veterans Day, Henderson adds names of 43 veterans to memorial wall

The city of Henderson held its annual Veterans Day ceremony Saturday at Water Street Plaza, where 43 new names were engraved on the Veterans Memorial Wall. The memorial, a circle of upright stone slabs surrounding a fountain next to Henderson City Hall, now bears more than 2,000 names of local veterans and is the only one of its kind in Southern Nevada. When dedicated in 1994, it listed 1,200 names.

Retired Air Force munitions specialist Daryl Mayfield, 73, was among those honored. He served in the Persian Gulf War and Korea during a 20-year career that included stations at Nellis Air Force Base, Italy and Korea. "This program is special," Mayfield said. "I'm proud that the community recognizes the veterans here." He added, "It brings chills to me. You don't find people all the time that say, 'hey, thank you.'"

Three of the 43 veterans were honored posthumously, and members of the Henderson Symphony Orchestra played Taps. Laura Prendergast attended to see her son Nicholas Mueller's name added; the Army veteran died in a motorcycle crash this year. She was joined by family and Mueller's friends, becoming emotional when asked about the recognition.

Keynote speaker Falisha Rexford, an honorary commander at Creech Air Force Base, noted the ongoing sacrifices of service members. "Somewhere, as we gather here to celebrate Veterans Day, there is a young airman who will miss their child's birthday. There is a soldier who won't be coming home for Thanksgiving," Rexford said. "Not because they don't care, but because they made a promise." Army veteran Diana Soriano, who deployed to Afghanistan and lost her fiancé in combat, said many veterans struggle with grief and identity after service and do not often feel seen.

City Council member Monica Larson invited attendees to pay respects at the wall after the hourlong ceremony, which also featured a presentation of colors. City leaders said the memorial serves as a permanent reminder of sacrifices made by Henderson families and pledged to support veterans year-round.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal, FOX5 Vegas