Veterans Honored at Mount Soledad Commemoration

Hundreds gathered at San Diego's Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial to honor military service members during a Saturday commemoration.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Awards

Wide view of a tall white concrete cross on a grassy coastal hilltop, with American flags lining a stone walkway and the Pacific Ocean beyond. — Hundreds gathered Saturday at San Diego's Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial for the 'Guardians of the Promise' commemoration, which recognized two Medal of Honor recipients. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Hundreds gathered at the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial on Saturday for the commemoration titled 'Guardians of the Promise: The 250-Year Unbroken Line.' Two Medal of Honor recipients were recognized during the event.

Why it matters

The commemoration marks the nation's 250-year anniversary and highlights veterans' service to San Diego residents and the broader public. It draws attention to the memorial's role in preserving individual veteran stories.

The memorial features more than 6,700 plaques honoring living and deceased veterans, representing more than 10,000 individual stories. Royce Williams and John Baca received the Medal of Honor, and the extraction does not indicate attendance figures for the event.

The players

Royce Williams

Navy veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who fought seven Soviet MiG-15 jets during the Korean War.

John Baca

Army veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who covered a grenade with his helmet to protect eight soldiers during the Vietnam War.

The details

Royce Williams, a Navy veteran, shot down four Soviet MiG-15 jets during the Korean War after fighting seven of them. John Baca, an Army veteran, covered a grenade with his helmet to protect eight fellow soldiers during the Vietnam War.

Saturday, November 7, 2026: Commemoration held at Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial.

Season Trajectory

The commemoration ties the memorial's 6,700 plaques to the Korean War and Vietnam War service of Medal of Honor recipients Royce Williams and John Baca. It places their specific wartime actions within the memorial's record of more than 10,000 veteran stories.

The memorial's more than 6,700 plaques remain a public record of veteran service that visitors can view in person at Mount Soledad. Visitors interested in specific honorees can look up individual plaques on site.