BOUNTIFUL—Nov. 11 – Veterans Day – is a time to remember and honor those who served or are serving in the military. Cities across the county held special tributes on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. that marks the exact time of the Armistice that ended World War I. In Bountiful, local officials, veterans and the community came out to the Bountiful Veterans Park to celebrate all who served and recognize the fifth anniversary of the park.

“We have thousands of names here on the walls and on the bricks of this wonderful park,” said former Mayor Randy Lewis. “We will not forget them. Because of this park they will always be remembered. We are here today because we get to not only praise, but to honor both men and women who have served.”

They are the heroes, he said. “They’re the heroes of our freedom. They are the heroes of our liberties.”

“What a wonderful sight,” said Chris Simonsen, whose vision brought the park to fruition. “I am truly moved. Seven years ago I woke up at 3 o’clock in the morning. I went to my den and I drew the outline for this park. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God wanted this park. It came together in such a beautiful fashion.”

People volunteered to come to work, to donate money, he said. “We didn’t need to ask the government for a single dime. Everything was donated to this park.”

Simonsen said he’s come down here to sit many times. “I think of my very best friend I grew up with in high school. We both graduated and we were going to attend Utah State University. After graduation there was what’s called a draft. He was drafted and eight months later he died in Vietnam.”

The reason for the park is for everyone to remember those that have served, he said. “Those that have come home and those that didn’t. For the families that sent their sons, their husbands, their brothers off to war so that this country could be what it is today.”

This park was built for everyone here, said Simonsen. “Please come here often and sit and ponder and think and thank the Lord for what you have that all of us may be able to live in a free land because of those that were willing to give.”

Vietnam veteran Larry Weist still gets a little emotional when he remembers some of the men who didn’t come back from the war. “There was this one medic who was due to go home that day. All he could talk about the night before was ‘I’m going home tomorrow.’”

He was supposed to take a helicopter from the base at Cu Chi down to Saigon to the transit, said Weist. “He said he wouldn’t go. He said ‘no, I’m going with you guys.’ He argued with me and Sgt. Jack Hoar. He said ‘no you guys are going to need all the medics you can get. I’m going with you.’ So he did and he saved three guys.”

He was small, Weist said. “So he was running up to the wood line. It was just really thick grass. He’d sneak in there and find a wounded guy, sit on his butt and put some wounded guy in front of him and wiggle his way out.”

He pulled three guys back and then went in to get another guy – the fourth guy – and they got him, said Weist. “They got both of them. You know I can still cry when I think about that guy.”

He could have saved his life by just going home, Weist said. “He was entitled to it. But we lost three medics that day.”

To add a veteran’s name to the park go to https://bountifulveteranspark.org/. The park is located at 795 S. Main Street next to City Hall.