LAKE ST. JOHN &045; Military service veterans from the Lake St. John area were honored Sunday afternoon with the dedication of a monument on Louisiana 568 at Spokane.

&uot;It’s really nice to see this.

It’s a beautiful monument,&uot; said Jim Huff, Sr., who fought with the Third Marine Division at Iwo Jima during World War II.

Huff, who has lived at Lake St. John since 1963, was among a dozen veterans in the crowd of about 50 people who attended the dedication.

The monument, decorated with an American flag and the emblems of each of the four branches of the military, was donated by Natchez Monument Company owner Dave Pace.

&uot;I kept riding by here, thinking this spot needed something more,&uot; said Pace, referring to the area at the Lake St. John Welcome Sign, where flags are displayed from three poles.

Pace credits his office manager, Mary Stowers, for designing the three-piece monument, which includes the figure of a pontoon boat etched into the monument’s black granite top section.

&uot;I wanted something that signifies the armed forces but also something that symbolizes life at Lake St. John,&uot; said Pace.

Mississippi State Honor Guard members from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9573 in Natchez presented the colors at the ceremony and led spectators in the Pledge of Allegiance.

A new flag for the Lake St. John community was also introduced at the service.

Featuring a pelican atop a shield decorated with a cross and a cypress tree in water, the banner’s blue, white and green fields symbolize the scenic beauty of Lake St. John.