LA JOLLA, Calif. (KGTV) — The Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial has added a new plaque honoring Lakiba Nicole Palmer, a San Diego native who was killed in the terrorist attack on the USS Cole 25 years ago.
Palmer, who grew up in the Chollas View neighborhood, was one of 17 service members who died when suicide bombers attacked the Navy destroyer while it was refueling in Yemen on October 12, 2000.
During a Memorial Day ceremony marked by the solemn sounds of taps and rifle volleys, Palmer's plaque was unveiled alongside the more than 6,000 veterans already honored with black granite plaques at the memorial.
Chris Peterschmidt, who served as Captain and Executive Officer aboard the USS Cole during the attack, shared his firsthand account of the devastating bombing.
"The explosion was felt very strongly. It lifted the ship out of the water," Peterschmidt said.
For Hugh Palmer, Lakiba's father, hearing these accounts was deeply moving.
"I almost vision myself being in there, seeing the smoke, hearing the voices, seeing the water coming in," Hugh Palmer said.
The personal stories about his daughter's final days affected him most profoundly.
"When he said he used to meet with Lakiba when she'll walk by, she'll go in his office that got me right there," Hugh Palmer said.
Mark Palmer, Lakiba's uncle, reflected on her enduring legacy.
"She will always be in our hearts and in our minds and in San Diego's hearts too," he said.
Though Lakiba's 15-year-old brother Quentinte never met his sister, her story continues to inspire him.
"I still feel like if I was right next to her," Quentinte Palmer said. "I want to follow my sister's footsteps and hopefully I can build on her legacy."
