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Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial wall expansion groundbreaking

There are nearly 6,000 plaque spaces, but those spaces have run out. So this newest phase will add five additional walls to the memorial.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — It's the start of a new chapter as the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association begins construction on an expansion of multiple walls to honor more men and women who served in the armed forces with a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday. 

There are nearly 6,000 plaque spaces, but those spaces have run out. So this newest phase will add five additional walls to the memorial. That will increase the amount of plaque spaces by more than 2,000.

What makes the Mt. Soledad Memorial so special are a couple of things. There's the beauty of the monument itself, the view of the pacific ocean and San Diego, but more importantly, the honor it bestows.

It’s one of the few monuments dedicated to both living veterans and those that have passed.

As the memorial’s Executive Director Neil O'Connell noted during Tuesday’s ceremony, there are generals next to sergeants and no one is separated or isolated.

"There's not a wall here specifically designated to generals, there's not a wall here specifically designated to admirals. This is all veterans. To my right is Sergeant York, a Medal of Honor recipient. Right over here we have one of the commandants of the Marine Corp. It's all just a great, great storybook tale," O'Connell said.

There’s no official estimate on completion, but organizers of the memorial said they’ll work as fast as they can to get it done quickly for everyone to enjoy.

WATCH RELATED: Above Mt. Soledad in San Diego (April 28, 2022)

    

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