World War II veterans and their families gathered east of Cody on Saturday for the unveiling of the new, “long overdue,” Wyoming World War II Veterans Memorial.

They were joined by Gov. Dave Freudenthal, Cody Mayor Nancy Tia Brown, Maj. Gen. Edward Wright, members of the Wyoming Veterans Commission and veterans groups who celebrated the servicemen, now known as “The Greatest Generation.”

The gathering also recognized the efforts of local veterans who have worked for more than a year to plan, design, raise money for and build the memorial.

Chief among them is Buck Wilkerson of Cody, who turned his attention to World War II veterans as soon as the Wyoming Korean Veterans War Memorial was completed and dedicated in the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Park east of Cody about one year ago.

Freudenthal presented Wilkerson with two plaques recognizing his efforts.

Wilkerson, who served as emcee for the event, said he reserved space for the World War II memorial when he designed the park's layout while planning for the Korean memorial. The World War II memorial is patterned after the national memorial in Washington, D.C., he said.

“(This memorial) is 50 years late, but its significance is not diminished,” he said.

Freudenthal, turning his attention to World War II veterans, said, “I thank you, not only for what you did during the war, but for what you did when you got home.”

He said World War II veterans not only served the United States without reservation during the war, but they also worked together to build, strengthen and serve their communities and their country when they returned home.

Wright, who is Wyoming's adjutant general with the Wyoming National Guard, also commended World War II veterans for their selfless service.

During World War II, 12 percent of the United States population was in the military, he said.

He noted that military service today is increasingly important, with just 1/3 of 1 percent of the country's population now serving in the military.

After the unveiling ceremony, people crowded onto the memorial grounds to view the four-part memorial, consisting of a central pillar topped by an eagle in flight, flanked by black-granite maps of the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of war. A brass sculpture of a soldier's boots, rifle, helmet and dog tags stands at each end.

Several people leaned forward, heads turned sideways, to read the dog tags. The one beside the Atlantic Theater map bore the name of James B. Hamilton.

As a backdrop, a red stone wall holds black plaques with the names of 850 Wyoming servicemen who gave their lives for their country during World War II.

Many leaned forward to see the name of a loved one; some ran their fingers over the names.

Robert Werbelow of Greybull looked for, and found, his brother's name on the wall, while Herb Demoney searched for his father-in-law's name.