Massachusetts Beirut Memorial

At the edge of Columbus Park in Boston’s North End is a unique memorial to a nearly forgotten group of servicemen. 

The memorial was built in 1992 to honor nine U.S. Marines from Massachusetts who died in the Beirut bombing on October 23, 1983, when two suicide bombers using truck bombs struck targets in Beirut, Lebanon. The buildings housed American and French peacekeepers working during the Lebanese Civil War. In total, the attack killed 241 U.S. citizens, 58 French military personnel, the two drivers, and six other civilians. A total of 307 people lost their lives that day.

The memorial has a partially circular, granite-seating wall that reads: “Massachusetts Beirut Memorial - Dedicated to the nine Massachusetts Marines who lost their lives in Beirut, Lebanon 23 October 1983. Blessed are the Peacekeepers.” The names of those from Massachusettes that lost their lives are featured prominently on the monument.