Remembering Their Sacrifice

It’s Veteran’s Day every day in Beaumont, where a memorial that never closes gives residents a chance to honor and remember those who served their country in the armed forces.

The Beaumont Veteran's Memorial was dedicated during a ceremony on Veteran’s Day in 2002 by the Beaumont Veteran's of Foreign War Post 233. Located in front of the Civic Center at 550 E. 6th Street, the memorial honors deceased Beaumont citizens who lived in Beaumont and served in a branch of the U.S. military or in the Allied Armed Forces.

The memorial, in a rose garden setting, salutes veterans who have served starting in World War I and continuing through today's Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. It consists of three granite slabs where 203 names of local veterans are listed, including their rank and military branch. There are also four memorial benches and five granite plaques that honor the seal and motto of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.

The first name inscribed on the memorial was S-SGT Knute A. Dahlstrom, an Air Force veteran from the Korean War, who served his community in 2000 as board chairman of the Cherry Valley Recreation and Park District. The last name chiseled on the wall was former city councilman CPL-4 Placido L. Valdivia, often referred to as “The Senator” for his gentlemanly ways. He served on the council from 2000 to 2004. Some of those recognized on the wall—including World War I Navy veteran Melvin W. Chadwick—answered the call to duty when Beaumont was still a tiny village.

 

Getting your loved one’s name inscribed on the Memorial Wall

The Beaumont Veteran’s Memorial honors deceased military personnel who lived in Beaumont or Cherry Valley while on active duty or who died later in those communities after their military service ended. As a city, Beaumont respects the enormous sacrifices made by those serving in our armed forces. It is with pride that we inscribe on the Memorial for families the name, rank and military branch of their loved one.