COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — It's a final tribute to our veterans, the tolling of a bell. The sound has been used across centuries as a way to announce deaths and acknowledge the depth of loss. In Colorado, there has only been one bell that tolls at our state's national cemeteries, until now.
On Monday, Colorado's second Honor Bell was dedicated outside Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs.
The ceremony allowed participants to pause and hear the solemn sound of honor that will ring across veteran funerals at Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, its permanent home.
The idea for the first Honor Bell came in 2014 from the late Army Ranger and Honor Bell founder Lou Olivera. Two years later, the first Honor Bell was dedicated at Fort Logan National Cemetery.
Bell honors were needed so often at that cemetery that the bell could only be used at Pikes Peak National Cemetery two days a week.
Air Force veteran and volunteer Honor Bell Guard Larry Peterson was one of the driving forces to raise the money needed to bring one to southern Colorado.
"The first time I tolled was on June 18th, 2020, which happened to be the anniversary of one of the gunships we lost in 1972," Peterson said.
Peterson spent 545 hours in combat in Vietnam. He has tolled the bell approximately 2000 times.
"I toll to remember the 40 we lost that day in 1972 in the gunships that we lost," Peterson said as his eyes welled with tears. "We lost four aircraft and 40 crew members."
The 1000 pound bronze bell includes artifacts from 12 Colorado military veterans. See list of artifacts here.
Air Force Major Paul Weaver's family donated his Silver Star Medal and a high explosive shell fragment. The Alamosa High School and Air Force Academy graduate died in combat in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War.
They were headed back to base when they got a call from Marines needing help.
"So they turned around and came back and basically took out the eight frogs that were threatening the coalition forces and our Marines, and they were shot down," said Weaver's sister Jennifer Lavery. "That is one of the shells that was shot at Khafji."
Retired Army First Sergeant Tom Worley was one of two volunteer bell guards who escorted those artifacts to the Netherlands, where the bell was cast. The artifacts were placed in a locked case and never left the hands of the two guards.
It was a long journey to honor the men and women who sacrificed everything for their country.
"A young man, CPL David Sonka, a Marine in Afghanistan in bomb disposal had his dog with him, they were both killed," Worley said. "All of his medals are in there and his dog's leash is in there."
Forged from honor, its sound forevermore offering comfort to grieving families and a reminder to all of us of the heavy price of freedom.
"As its sound rings across our region, may it stand as a lasting witness to the courage, the sacrifice, the unbroken bond of a grateful community," said USAF Chaplain Brian Harris.
The first bell honors from the Pikes Peak Honor Bell will happen on Tuesday, November 18th at Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs.
Bell honors are offered at veteran funerals in Colorado for free. Click here to request bell honors. Click here to become a volunteer Bell Guard.