CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Games may be won on the football field, but some of the greatest victories achieved by veterans are being recognized at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Beeville.
Football players and fans can look to the sidelines at a legacy built and designed to pay tribute to those who served. The Veterans Tribute Wall stands as a proud reminder of Bee County’s history and its resident’s contributions within the United States Armed Forces. 1,000 names are etched on the wall consisting of Bee County veterans and those who served at Naval Air Station Chase Field. NAS Chase Field trained naval aviators and ground crews for about 50 years in Bee County before it was decommissioned in 1993.
Beeville Independent School District Superintendent, Travis Fanning said, “It’s so important for our students to see and know that the things they have each and every single day, the right to a free and appropriate education, the right to walk around and make choices, the right to vote, those did not come easy. Those things came from the sacrifices of men and women who came before many of us.”
Vietnam war veteran, Armando Musquez served at NAS Chase Field. The Navy veteran was in the military for about 20 years before he retired as a senior chief.
"This used to be one of the premier naval air stations in the world. There have been pilots that have gone on to become commercial pilots and astronauts." He said.
Musquez and fellow Bee County veterans have been overseeing the construction of the Veterans Tribute Wall. The project has been in their hands since Beeville ISD’s school board dedicated the piece of property at the stadium to veterans in 2004.
Orlando Vasquez, Beville ISD’s School Board President said, “That's why we named the stadium veterans memorial. It's a tribute to them and all those that are no longer with us and those that are still here."
Musquez added, "We hope that younger kids could go by here and find their parents or grandparents who served in the military and their names are on the wall. And Our intention is so the children don't forget the military contributions this town had to the service of our country. Hopefully it will encourage them to serve their country."
This year, the veterans had to refurbish the wall due to weather impacts. Additional features are also being added, including an awning. Crews are expected to complete the project before Veterans Day. The total cost of the the tribute is around $30,000 according to Musquez.
"We have not spent one tax dollar on this wall at all. All of it has been done, through, a lot of it from our own pocket and contributions from the community. So, this is community-owned. It's not just owned by the veterans, it's the whole community. So, we take great pride in that." said Musquez.
Bee County veterans are looking to raise more money to continue enhancing the tribute's features.
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofmann at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
