Gen. James Mattis, a Richland native and former U.S. Secretary of Defense, spoke at Washington State University Tri-Cities' Sept. 8 dedication for an expanded “Stories” Veterans Memorial and his namesake Leadership Library as part of a special tribute ceremony.

The “Stories” Veterans Memorial, created by local artist Tom McClelland, features a collection of stories from regional veterans. 

With the expansion, the memorial now includes a larger concrete base that houses benches donated by the Schmieman family in honor of their late son Sgt. Dietrich Schmieman, as well as flag poles that display the American and U.S. military branch flags.

The expansion and improvements were made possible by Cliff Thorn Construction, as well as Legacy Excavation, 1st Place Concrete and Absolute Power TC.

Following the unveiling of the memorial, guests headed to the unveiling of the Leadership Library located in the WSU Tri-Cities Veterans Center.

The library features a collection of Mattis’ favorite books that have been influential throughout his career.

The library was made possible by C. Mark Smith and the Richland Rotary Club of the Tri-Cities, who led fundraising efforts for the library.