JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – Several hundred fallen service members will be remembered as today marks the 42nd anniversary of the Beirut bombing.
An observance will be held at the Beirut Memorial at Lejeune Memorial Gardens at 10:30 this morning to honor those killed in the bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 23rd, 1983.
Two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, housing American and French service members.
The memorial will also remember those who served in Lebanon from 1958 to 1984 and in Grenada.
Parking for the event will be available at the Veterans Cemetery across from Lejeune Memorial Gardens on Montford Landing Road.
A shuttle service will also be provided by Jacksonville Transit from the New River Shopping Center on Hargett Street.
Out of an abundance of caution, there will be a security checkpoint. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to allow time to pass through the checkpoint ahead of the event.
Earlier this week, students from Northwoods Park Middle School and veterans tied yellow ribbons around 273 Chinese pistache trees at the Beirut Memorial Grove to represent the 273 lost lives.
241 of those lost were from Camp Lejeune.
You can stream the observance on the city of Jacksonville’s Facebook page here.
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