USS Bennington Monument

The USS Bennington Monument is a granite obelisk located in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma. The structure rises prominently above the cemetery grounds and overlooks San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

The monument commemorates a boiler explosion aboard USS Bennington that occurred in 1905 in San Diego Bay. This maritime disaster prompted improvements to naval vessel safety and was a turning point in how the Navy addressed equipment failures at sea.

The memorial honors sailors lost during peacetime service, reflecting how the Navy remembers those who died far from combat. Visitors encounter a space dedicated to acknowledging the human cost of naval operations beyond warfare.

The monument sits within Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, roughly 8 miles west of downtown San Diego. Visitors should approach the cemetery with respect and follow site guidelines, as this is an active burial ground.

The site was once called Bennington National Cemetery, a name that changed as the burial ground expanded and served more than just the Bennington victims. This shift shows how the monument anchored the place's identity in its early years but eventually became part of a larger memorial complex.

Location: San Diego County

Part of: Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

GPS coordinates: 32.68992,-117.24443

Latest update: December 12, 2025 16:43