Monument Will Honor Tampa Native, Veteran

U.S. Marines

Lt. Baldomero Lopez leads the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines over the seawall on the northern side of Red Beach, as the second assault wave lands on Sept. 15, 1950.

By TBO.COM | Staff
Published: November 06, 2007

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CITRUS PARK - On Sept. 15, 1950, at the Battle of Inchon, 24-year-old Marine Lt. Baldomero Lopez led his men over a seawall near Seoul, South Korea.

Minutes later, he died in the ultimate act of self-sacrifice.

Baldomero Lopez

Fifty-seven years later, the memory of the Tampa native and Medal of Honor winner will be honored with a monument at Ed Radice Park, 14844 Ed Radice Drive, off South Mobley Road.

The memorial dedication is set for 11 a.m. Sunday.

Representatives from MacDill Air Force Base, including Brig. Gen. David Garza and Korean Gen. Young-Yoon, will attend, along with some of Lopez's fellow Hillsborough High School graduates from 1943.

About 15 family members are expected.

Lopez was made famous in a photograph showing him scaling a wall during the Battle of Inchon. He smothered a grenade with his body moments after the photo was taken.

The 4-by-8-foot granite plaque will feature a biography of Lopez, a copy of the photograph and a rock from the Inchon wall.