Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Students from Eileen Piercy's class at Jose Barrios Elementary School in Silver City prepare to sing The National Anthem.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Another group of students awaits the arrival of the colors and the veterans who will march across the New Mexico 90 Bridge.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Here they come!
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
More veteran flag bearers.Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
World War II veterans are coming.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
A World War II Ford jeep pulls the platform of WW II veterans.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Marine Don Spann drives his vehicle, holding World War II veteran Leonard Pritikin and Marine Frank Donohue.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
WW II veterans and their support team.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Korean War veterans are coming across the bridge.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Some Korean War veterans.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
More veterans.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
The flags are flying in the breeze.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner welcomes the crowd and the veterans for the dedication.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Department of Transportation District 1 Director Trent Doolittle speaks about the decision to name the bridge.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Ladner and NM DOT District 1 Commissioner Dr. Kenneth White before White speaks of the unanimous decision to dedicate the bridge as the Veterans Memorial Bridge, the first in New Mexico.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
The plaque is unveiled.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Joe Martinez of Congressman Steve Pearce's office reads a letter of congratulations from Pearce, who is a Vietnam veteran.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
Vietnam Veteran and Silver City Town Councilor Jose Ray Jr. holds up the sign that will go on each end of the pedestrian bridge.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
The flags flying before the retiring of the colors.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
The retiring of the colors at the end of the ceremony.
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
View of the sign on the south side of Veterans Memorial Bridge (Photo by Dave Schuhmann, who chronicled the construction of the bridge for the Beat over many months)
Dedication of Veterans Memorial Bridge 20161111
View of the sign on the north side of the bridge. (Photo by Dave Schuhmann)
The New Mexico 90 Bridge in Silver City was dedicated on Veterans' Day as the Veterans Memorial Bridge.
Veterans from three local service organizations posted the colors by marching from the south side of the bridge to the north side, where they stood with the flags flying in the breeze, while Eileen Piercy's class at Jos+
Veterans not part of the color guard followed with a vehicle carrying a World War II veteran and pulling a flatbed trailer with more World War II veterans. Korean War veterans followed afoot. And other veterans came behind.
American Legion Post 18 Commander Ray Davis served as master of ceremonies.
Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner explained that the town of Silver City's Council approached the New Mexico Department of Transportation to have the bridge named to honor veterans.
Town Councilor Jose Ray Jr., a veteran of the Vietnam Conflict, sponsored the resolution and helped plan the day. Participants in the afternoon's event included the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 358, the American Legion Post 18 and the Marine Corps League Detachment 1328.
"This is a historic event," Ladner said. "It is the first bridge in New Mexico to be named Veterans Memorial Bridge. It honors all veterans today, but will honor thousands of veterans as they drive over the bridge. They will see they are in an area that honors their service."
Trent Doolittle, New Mexico Department of Transportation District 1 Engineer, asked Transportation Committee member Kenneth White, who represents District 1, to speak.
"It is my great pleasure to be here as part of the Transportation Committee," White said. "It was our unanimous decision to name this bridge. We are pleased that this community thinks this bridge is worthy of this recognition."
Doolittle thanked all the veterans for their service. "We in District 1 are active here maintaining your roads. The request was submitted to us. We are honored and privileged to dedicate this bridge to the veterans."
Three veterans unveiled the sign, on the north side of the bridge. An identical sign is posted on the south side of the bridge.
Joe Martinez, field representative from Congressman Steve Pearce's office read a letter from the congressman congratulating the town for the dedication.
Piercy's class sang God Bless America.
Davis noted the great thing about the effort was that it had all veterans working together on the project.