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After months of planning and fundraising, the town has a new memorial that honors those who served in The War On Terror.
The North Attleborough War on Terror Monument arrived at Barrows Veterans Park on Nov. 6. The monument is now a permanent fixture in the park and can be observed by everyone walking or driving down S. Washington Street. The arrival was not ceremonious, but the memorial was seen by many as a welcome addition to the park.
North Attleborough resident Gregory Mayer said seeing the monument in its new home was great. Mayer, who was deployed during the War on Terror, was one of several veterans who helped raise money for the monument.
“This is a great day for North Attleborough,” Mayer said. “It’s just great that it’s finally here for everyone to see.”
The North Attleborough War on Terror Monument is a non-profit public charity fundraising project by the Friends of North Attleborough Monuments. The proposal design features a curved incline emboldened with the insignias of the branches of the United States military and two pillars with words of dedication to North Attleborough residents who fought in the war. The words and insignias are bronze, while the monument is constructed with black granite.
Veterans Agent Stephen Travers said he was thankful the monument made it to North Attleborough safely and that the town would hold a special ceremony on Jan. 20 that would feature the organization and Tom Tully, who provided most of the donation funds for the project.
“We want this to be an important event,” Travers said. “I’m envisioning a ceremony in the lobby with not only the Friends of North Attleborough Monuments group, but also with Tom.”
The town’s Veteran’s Advisory Board conceived the idea to create a monument dedicated to the War on Terror. The original proposal was paused during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Mayer and other veterans revived the project and established a non-profit to raise money. He said no public funds were spent on the monument.
“We want to construct a monument that celebrates the service of those who served,” Mayer said. “It’s been over 20 years since it began and the most recent memorial in the town is the Gulf War. It’s time for those who gave their all to be recognized.”
