In 2010, North Attleborough resident Gregory Mayer was deployed to Iraq during The War On Terror.
Now, more than 10 years later, he and his fellow veterans are working together to raise money for a brand-new 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.”
The North Attleborough War on Terror Monument is a fundraising project by the Friends of North Attleborough Monuments non-profit public charity. The design of the proposal would feature 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 to be made of bronze while the monument itself is constructed with black granite.
“The design also has two gaps in between the granite slabs,” Mayer said of the memorial. “These artistic shapes would represent the two World Trade Center towers, which was the genesis of the war.”
The idea to create a monument dedicated to the War on Terror was conceived by the town’s Veteran’s Advisory Board. The original proposal was put aside during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Mayer, and other veterans, took charge of reviving the project and established a non-profit to raise money. He said no public funds are to be spent on the monument.
“We had some conversations about how it should be funded and we decided it would be best to create a non-profit,” Mayer said. “I, along with other friends, started the non-profit two months ago.”
Mayer estimates the price of the monument itself will cost $150,000 but said there would be transportation and site-building costs. As of October 2022, the group has raised more than $12,000 in total. The organization has a Facebook, gofundme, and venmo page for donations. Mayer said the group also accepts physical checks
Stephen Travers, the town’s Veterans Agent, said the Veteran’s Department has been supporting the fundraising efforts.
“We are a great town that has always recognized the service and sacrifices of our veterans,” Travers said. “Now that our longest war has been raging for over 20 years, it’s appropriate that our most recent generation gets the same support.”
As a veteran of the Global War on Terror, Mayer said how people will remember the war will vary from person to person. He described the war as a complicated affair and some moments received more attention than others. Regardless, Mayer said everyone should be free to view this moment in American history how they see fit.
“There are things that are hot button issues,” he said. “For many, it’s out of site and out of mind, and that’s why we want to build this monument.”
Donations can be made at the following websites.
Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/north-attleboro-global-war-on-terrorism-monument
Venmo: @FriendsofNAMonuments
Physical checks can be sent to the following location:
Friends of North Attleboro Monuments
P.O. Box 372
North Attleboro, MA 02761
