“Sherwin-Williams donated the paint and Norm Green donated his time and family,” said Legion vice president John Streed. “The village donated the bucket trucks. It’s just been amazing.”

“Everybody’s been real supportive and helping,” Green said. “It’s been a community and team effort. Everyone here has been real appreciative. These guys are great here. So, it was really nice to give back.”

Green, along with his son Nicholas and grandsons Skylar and Brock, painted the missile, putting over 60 hours into the project. Green has also painted the clock-tower down in Lakewood, and he said he noticed the missile was in need of repair work.

“I’m always looking for something to give back to the community,” Green said. “Especially when veterans are involved because they do so much for our country.”

Joe Brown, manager of the Lakewood Sherwin-Williams store, said that he tries to help with community projects whenever he can. When he heard about the missile restoration project, he said he was more than happy to donate the paint needed. Brown also helped paint the black supports for the missile.

“I think it’s for a great cause,” Brown said. “I’m a vet myself, and I appreciate the fact that people get to come in and unwind and relax in a comfortable environment.”

A successor to the Nike Ajax, the Nike Hercules had a nuclear capacity, normally armed with a warhead, but could be fitted with a conventional warhead. It was used by NATO for medium and high-altitude long-range air defense.

“In every other country, the missiles are in the Air Force. Only in the U.S. are missiles in the Army,” said John Anderson, an army veteran. “The army controlled the warheads, while the Greek Air Force fired missiles. One of the missiles could eliminate Yugoslavia.”

The last Hercules missiles were deactivated in 1988, without ever being fired against the Soviet Union.

The American Legion, which was founded in 1919, would also like to do a dedication on Veteran’s Day.

“We’ll hopefully have an open house that day, to try to get more membership and get some of the younger veterans to come in and see what we’re all about,” said John Lawson, board president.