Sixty-year-old granite memorial wall panels shift as aging infrastructure deteriorates.
This online memorial was established to provide the opportunity to not only honor, but to learn more about military members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
For the safety of visitors, the City of Portland removed the memorial walls outside Veterans Memorial Coliseum in early 2022. Infrastructure holding the half-century-old granite panels had deteriorated and several large, heavy panels became displaced from their original positions. More were at risk of shifting.
The granite wall panels, which make up the wall honoring local veterans who died serving this country, are being safely stored while the City explores long-term options to meaningfully remember these veterans at the Coliseum.
In the interim, honoring our veterans remains a priority. So while the memorial at Veterans Memorial Coliseum may have been more prominent and tangible, this online memorial features the list of names which appear on the physical granite memorial walls, along with military member biographies, photographs, history, a look toward the future - and even an opportunity to submit veteran biographies.