SAN DIEGO – On June 6 at 2 p.m., the Veterans Museum will host a ceremony to honor Brigadier General Robert Cardenas and dedicate a permanent home for his bust. His statue will be mounted in the Veterans Memorial Garden by The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park adjacent to the B-24 bomber he once flew. The ceremony was specifically selected for the anniversary of D-Day where the B-24 bomber played a substantial role in making the Normandy invasion possible. The public is invited and local veterans and politicians are expected to attend.

General Cardenas had a 34-year career in the United States military and served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam and China-India wars. He flew combat missions over Germany during WWII and on his 20th mission was shot down over a lake near Switzerland. After swimming across the lake and escaping internment, he rejoined the fight. Cardenas made history on several occasions including dropping the X-1 from his B-29 airplane when Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. The bust is of General Cardenas and represents all the flight and ground crews who made the wartime and peacetime missions possible.

Richard Becker is the artist who designed and sculpted the statue. It took six months to construct and for him it was a project of great significance.
“It is rare to be able to honor an individual in a lasting and public way,” said Becker. “Of all the celebrities I have sculpted, General Cardenas is the most important person I have ever done.”

General Cardenas retired from active duty service in 1973 and has had lasting impact in San Diego County. He has served on several boards in the veteran community and his most important achievement was leading the effort to establish Miramar National Cemetery which opened in 2010.

A reception will follow the ceremony and the event is free to the public.

About The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park:

The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park is a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization. It was established in 1989 to honor and perpetuate the memories of the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces and Wartime Merchant Marine. The museum preserves the legacy created by courageous men and women through exhibits and displays of historical documents, photographs, artwork, artifacts, oral histories, and educational programs. Located in the historic chapel of the old Balboa Naval Hospital, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

There is plenty of free parking for visitors.

More information about The Veterans Museum can be found at www.veteranmuseum.org, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @VeteransMuseum.