Twentynine Palms Veterans rebuild destroyed memorial

“He served 37 years in the Marine Corp. He served a tour in Vietnam. He served a tour in Desert Strom, and then two tours in Iraq.”

It was almost 10 years ago Master Gunnery Sergeant Nicholas Formosa was killed by a drunk driver off Highway 62 in Twentynine Palms.

“A good mentor, fellow marine,” says Doug Peercy, “It just means a lot to remember what he stood for and the tings he did for this country.”

After Formosa’s death, friends made a memorial: a white cross with flowers.

Over 4th of July weekend, it was destroyed; possibly vandalized or hit by a car.

After nationwide fundraising online, a new memorial has been put in its place by those close to him.

“Marines over the past 30 years that he served with pitched in to raise money for this,” says Aaron Villaverde, who came from Sacramento to build the new memorial, “He deserves it. The Marine Corp owed him that respect.”