The jagged edges cut into the San Diego sky. This is the SDSU Veterans Memorial. It stands tall a testament to sacrifice.
The SDSU Veterans Memorial isn’t just a monument. It’s a living history lesson. It remembers SDSU alumni who gave their lives for their country. Many fought in World War II. Others served in Korea Vietnam Afghanistan and Iraq. Their names are etched onto its three sides. The memorial honors 228 students. It also remembers those who died in accidents while serving.
Designed by former SDSU art professor Jesus Dominguez the memorial is a striking sight. It’s a 25-foot-tall column of white Sierra granite. Its jagged top symbolizes shattered lives. The memorial was dedicated on November 23 1996. A pre-50s alumni committee planned it. They raised about $50 000 to build it. The SDSU Alumni Association’s Veterans War Memorial Committee also sponsored it. The memorial is unique. It is one of few tributes of its kind on a US college campus.
Before the current memorial plaques under Hardy Tower remembered fallen students. A Freedom Tree also honored fallen soldiers. It was dedicated in 1973 to Lt Col Charles J Scharf and all prisoners of war and missing in action. The SDSU Veterans Memorial expanded on this tradition. It represents a continuous effort to remember and honor those who served.
Every year a Wreath Laying Ceremony takes place. This honors the fallen. The ceremony began on the memorial’s dedication day. It was originally organized by the Alumni Association’s War Memorial committee. Now the Student Veteran’s Organization (SVO) continues this tradition.
Stand here and feel the weight of history. Feel the quiet power of remembrance. The SDSU Veterans Memorial is more than granite and names. It’s a solemn tribute to courage and sacrifice. It is a reminder of the ultimate price paid for freedom.