The citizens of New Athens erected Honor as a loving tribute to its loyal sons who answered the call to defend their country on land and sea during the Mexican War, 1846–1848, the Civil War, 1861–1865, the Spanish War, 1898, World War I, 1917–1919, and World War II and Korea. Those named as heroes dead of World War I are Albert Krupp, Arthur Deichmann, Peter Russ, William Vielweber, Thomas Abbott, and Frank Heinecke. Those named as fallen heroes of World War II and Korea are Wilfred Hacker, Glifford Franke, Edward Marsh, Lyee Thomson, Harlan Bogner, Maurice Weidemann, Francis Gausepohi, Harvey Hesse, Eugene Derrickson, Orville Hoffman, Milton Hill, Vernon Petri, Clement Mueth, Herbert Dinges, Lewis Hesse, Ronald Blair, and Robert Grohmann.