Editor's note:

This editorial first was published in the Gazette-Times in 1998, upon dedication of the Benton County Veteran's Memorial.

On Memorial Day, the name of U.S. Army Corp. Graham McMahon, 22, of Corvallis, will be added to the roll of the honored dead.

McMahon died in Balad, Iraq, on Sept. 19, 2007, of an unknown illness. He had served with the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Lewis, Wash.

The addition of McMahon's name brings the total of names on the memorial to 119. The ceremony begins at 2 p.m., at the memorial, 1100 N.W. Kings Blvd.

On the occasion of the memorial's 10th anniversary, we are reprinting - and updating - the editorial we wrote to note the memorial's dedication.

William A. Aberson. Homer A. Armstrong. Ray R. Bravinder. …

These are the first names on the new Benton County Veterans Memorial, in the alphabetical listing of the county's soldiers who died in World War I.

Neatly engraved with last name first, then first name and middle initial and the service this patriot enlisted in, the names march down the black granite.

Very few remain from the generation that can recalled their young faces, but their names are recorded for posterity. They will be remembered.

… Albin, Alexander, Allen …

Now the monument lists names of World War II's fallen servicemen. Visitors to the memorial include high school classmates and sweethearts and military buddies with silver hair, slowed steps and solemn memories.

… Fischer. A second Fischer. McKnight. Mills …

This monument has taken two years of labor to arrange and construct. Credit goes to a name that will not be on it, Les Whittle, who realized that Benton County lacked a monument to its war dead and its living veterans. He began the search for a home to the memorial and the names that it should bear.

… Smith. Steele. Sterling …

Eventually, the site was arranged: A plot of ground on the lawn of the armory in Corvallis that now is used by the National Guard.

Names were a constant effort. Whittle began with dozens of names, and repeated publicity about his efforts drew phone calls and letters about more. It took laborious research to verify many of the names, combing old military records and other sources.

The design was set and fundraising began. Some 350 people contributed to the cause.

Ground-breaking happened in 1997. Since then, a plaza has been paved. Six benches have been installed, each engraved with a name from the monument chosen to represent some aspect of this area: a region of the county, the first reservist to die in World War II, and so on.

A pillar will hold an eternal flame above the monument. Two flagpoles stand as twin guardians over the site.

All the elements focus on the granite slabs.

… Crocker. McCoskrie. Sumrall … Three names from the Korean war, the war officially referred to as a "a conflict."

It was was deadly but too seldom remembered, overwhelmed by the enormity of World War II and obscured by the trauma of the 1960s.

At the center of the monument is engraved a section of prose and poetry, starting: This memorial is dedicated to all veterans - men and women - living or dead.

The names of the known dead stand at attention on either side.

… Badley … Gassner … Kinkade … The roll continues through the names from Vietnam.

All prayed that the four rectangles on granite will be enough - that no new war will require adding to this monument.

… Silver. Styles. Wood.

And there are the new names, added in the past few years: Blickenstaff … McKinley … Evey and now McMahon, all killed in Iraq.

The granite slabs stand testimony to their sacrifice. It should not take stone for us to remember these soldiers, sailors, marine, airmen, but it does help. This is a tribute that properly could have been erected long ago.

One hundred and nineteen names, so far … Their memory is secure in this place, one of solemn contemplation, where all may give due honor.