Veterans Memorials in Long Beach

Long Beach has a long, proud history as a major naval, aviation and aerospace center for the US armed forces, making Memorial Day in the city that much more meaningful. There are numerous locations throughout the city that have either served or honor those who served and sacrificed for the freedom we enjoy today.

LONE SAILOR MEMORIAL

The Lone Sailor is a replica of an original statue located at the US Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. Still, this Long Beach version is fitting given that the city was once home to the Long Beach Naval Base and, though there are other Lone Sailor statues, the Long Beach version is the only one that looks out at the ocean. The bronze figure was placed at Bluff Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Oct. 13, 2004, the 229th anniversary of the US Navy.

BELMONT VETERANS MEMORIAL PIER

Constructed in 1967, the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier (35 39th Pl) pier was renamed in 2001 to honor Long Beach veterans who served and died for their country. Located at the crossing of Ocean Boulevard and 39th Place, the pier–1,800-feet long with a hexagonal area at the end that is popular with fishermen–features benches honoring specific battles while medallions on the pier’s deck honor individual veterans.

QUEEN MARY

Though well-known for having hosted English and Hollywood royalty, during World War II the Queen Mary (1126 Queens Hwy.) carried its most important passengers when it was converted to a troop ship. On one 1943 voyage, it carried 16,683 people, the greatest number of people on a floating vessel to that time. Nicknamed The Grey Ghost, because it was painted a drab gray as camouflage, it also carried Winston Churchill to a meeting with FDR and after the war, continued its service by transporting 12,886 European brides and children to the U.S. and Canada.

Credit: The Queen Mary

ROSIE THE RIVETER PARK MEMORIAL WALL

Rosie The Riveter Park (4900 E. Conant St.), is a three acre park adjacent to the former Douglas Aircraft Plant. It has a walking path with a historical timeline etched in the pavement along with symbols and quotations detailing the events of World War II. A memorial acknowledging that "All Gave Some and Some Gave All" and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), is tucked into a grove of trees, surrounded by flowers. There are also banners honoring the 15 people from Long Beach who died in Iraq and Afghanistan since the Sept. 11 attacks.

LONG BEACH VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

Designed by a Long Beach City College art student, this memorial features a U.S. Army helicopter, known by veterans as Huey, that logged more than a thousand combat hours in Vietnam. The memorial, dedicated in 2000, is located at Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.), 26-acres that includes a community recreation and senior citizen center as well as multiple baseball and soccer fields, playground, tennis and basketball courts as well as skate park.

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS VETERANS MEMORIAL

This memorial, located at the southeast corner of Lakewood Boulevard and Carson Street, was dedicated by the employees of the McDonnell Douglas Corporation which built numerous important, iconic military aircraft. The memorial, dedicated to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who have served the country in war and peace, was especially meaningful to Douglas employees since more than 12,000 Douglas Corporation employees have been killed in service to our country since Pearl Harbor.

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About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.