On the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, the many area men and women who served during World War II were honored at a special memorial dedication ceremony in Pella.

American Legion Post 89 and VFW Post 5242 led a program to formally install two memorials located in the Fair Haven Memorial Gardens at the corner of Union and East 3rd Streets. The two structures have over 800 names from the “Greatest Generation.”

World War II Veterans Walter Roorda and Gary Gezel were among the crowd of other veterans and Fair Haven residents who were in attendance. Roorda joined the U.S. Army just weeks before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

“I was inducted into the Army on Armistice Day that year, and then I was at Fort Des Moines and I was home on leave that afternoon when we heard the news on the radio,” he tells KNIA/KRLS News. Roorda went on to serve on the European front of the Second Great War.

Gezel met with many members of the American Legion and VFW, and had the chance to share the afternoon with his sister-, the last two children among eight in their family. The two exchanged letters during the war. Gezel’s message to all veterans and active duty service members was to “take care.”

Representatives for Congressman Dave Loebsack, Senator Chuck Grassley, and Senator Joni Ernst also spoke during the dedication ceremony inside of Fair Haven East.