“There it is,” he said.

Enrietti pointed with his cane to the spot where his name was inscribed, along with those of his three brothers. He served as the tailgunner in a B-24 Liberator during World War II, flying missions in Europe. Enrietti, who turns 97 later this year, serves as one of the area’s last surviving links to the war.

The monument bearing his name and that of dozens of other Keweenaw County veterans recently got repairs to ensure their service will continue to be honored. American Legion Post 230 of Mohawk held a ceremony Monday to rededicate the roll and honor Memorial Day.

The drive to repair the monument started after the county’s Veterans Affairs committee noticed some of the mortar was coming out, said Josh Rheault, the veteran service officer for Keweenaw County. Money had been set aside from state grants for preservation. The work was performed by Robert E. Johnson Contracting in Traprock Valley, which has experience with historical restoration of sandstone memorials.

Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Josh Rheault, the veterans service officer for Keweenaw County, delivers the Memorial Day address at the Keweenaw County Honor Roll in Mohawk.

“It’s been here for a long time, since shortly after World War II, so maintaining it is an important part of our legacy as a community,” Rheault said.

The honor roll is flanked by additions commemorating those who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Eventually, Rheault would like to see additional plaques honoring the Gulf War and post-9/11 conflicts.

He sees broadening the memorial as a way to reach out to younger veterans, who have been less likely to connect with legacy service organizations — the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and even the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Legion posts all across the country are dying because people from my generation and newer just aren’t signing up, because they don’t feel connected,” Rheault said.

Mike Quello, a member of American Legion Post 230, said he is the youngest member of the post at 64.

Dozens of area residents attended Monday’s ceremony, which also included Calumet High School’s band and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Rheault said it was important for people to attend on Monday to recognize the veterans who have come before, and to support the ones he works with on a regular basis.

“The sense of a community of veterans is what’s really important, and feeling like everybody belongs,” he said.

Honoring the fallen on Memorial Day is important — for everyone, but especially the families of the military members who have passed away, Enrietti said.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “Our country has to get together now. We seem to be falling apart. We can do it, but everybody has to be together.”

Standing in front of the honor roll, Enrietti said he was happy to see the work put into preserving it.

“It was old, like me, and falling apart, like me,” he said. “But they fixed it up.”