The Lakeway Heritage Center is soliciting annual submissions for the names of past and present local veterans to be engraved on the Heritage Park Spirit of Freedom Monument.
The acceptance of applications this year will close on Aug. 14, 2015.
Basic eligibility includes having lived within the city limits, or within Lakeway’s extra-territorial jurisdiction.
Military service requires that the veteran served no less than 90 days of active duty and received an honorable discharge within the following dates for the respective periods of armed conflict. These authorized dates are determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for related federal benefits:
• World War II - Dec. 7, 1941 to Dec. 31, 1946;
• Korea - June 27, 1950 to Jan. 31, 1955;
• Vietnam – Aug. 5, 1964 (in-country Feb. 28, 1961) to May 7, 1975;
• Lebanon – 1982 to 1983;
• Grenada – 1983;
• Persian Gulf – Aug. 2, 1990 to April 6, 1991; and
• Global War on Terror – Sept. 11, 2001 to present.
The Spirit of Freedom Monument was developed and expanded through generous donations of the citizens of Lakeway, and dedicated on Veterans Day 1995, the 50th anniversary year of the end of World War II.
Although the City of Lakeway maintains the monument system, the engraving of names is accomplished through tax-deductible donations by Lakeway citizens. Accordingly, a donation of $135 is required for each name engraved on the monument system.
On Veterans Day 1995, the World War II obelisk at the Spirit of Freedom Monument was unveiled revealing 485 names of Lakeway citizens who served during that war. Since then, an additional 62 names have been added to the obelisk. With the addition of walls reflecting on subsequent combat periods, a total of 1,035 names represent those Lakeway citizens who served in the military during periods of armed conflict.
Notably, engraving space for World War II Army and Navy veterans is becoming limited. As such, persons considering engravings for those veterans are encouraged to visit the Heritage Center to determine the viability of adding the names.
Applications may be obtained from a small box at the entry to the monument or at the Heritage Center, 963 Lohmans Crossing, between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays. They may also be requested via email by contacting Lakeway Archivist Mike Boston at [email protected]
