Scottsdale dedicated a memorial Saturday to honor those who lived in the city and nearby Native American communities for their service in the United States military.

Sixty-six of those service members made the ultimate sacrifice, and their names are engraved on the granite faces of the Scottsdale Memorial for the Fallen, according to a city release.

The Saturday, March 18, ceremony took place at Scottsdale City Hall’s Memorial Lawn and included Mayor David D. Ortega, Scottsdale historian Joan Fudala, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Band and the Scottsdale Fire Department’s Pipes, Drums and Honor Guard.

Gil Gifford was the bugler, and a wreath laying was conducted by representatives from Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.

Readers announced the 66 names engraved on the monument.

The memorial had its beginning in June 2014 when a group of Scottsdale residents formed the City of Scottsdale Memorial Action Committee.

The effort was led by Jim Geiser, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam and a graduate of Scottsdale High School and Arizona State University, the release stated.

The nonprofit Scottsdale Memorial for the Fallen was formed and more than $300,000 was raised to design, engineer and build the memorial.

Work on the granite monument began in fall 2022. 

The memorial area includes benches, one honoring Geiser, who died in August 2022.