PLACERVILLE, Calif. — The Marine Corps League’s SSgt. Sky Mote Detachment No. 697 will host a public dedication and remembrance for a new memorial wall honoring Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the League’s Memorial Building in Placerville.
The ceremony — open to the public — recognizes Mote, a Union Mine High School graduate and El Dorado native who was killed in action in Afghanistan on Aug. 10, 2012. Organizers have said active-duty Marines will wear the uniform of the day and that Marine Corps League members will be in red polos with covers; organizers also note the event is open to the public. (Event hosts: SSgt. Sky Mote Detachment No. 697.)
Mote was posthumously awarded some of the Marine Corps’ highest honors, including the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart, for his actions during an insider attack in Afghanistan. According to Marine Corps Special Operations officials, as reported by Military Times,
“In his final act of bravery, he boldly remained in the open and engaged the shooter,”
actions credited with drawing fire and protecting fellow Marines.
The memorial wall will join several local remembrances already preserving Mote’s legacy, including the Staff Sgt. Sky Mote Overcrossing and the El Dorado County Veterans Monument near the Placerville government center. The overcrossing and related dedications were driven by local veterans’ groups and recognized through state and congressional measures honoring Mote’s service.
Organizers encourage residents to attend the evening ceremony to pay respects and support Mote’s family and fellow veterans. For event updates, questions about parking or accessibility, or to confirm any program elements, the Marine Corps League Detachment 697 Facebook page is the primary contact and information source.
Why this matters locally
Staff Sgt. Mote is a native son of the foothills whose service and sacrifice have been formally recognized by the community and by federal designation. The dedication is both a local act of remembrance and a public acknowledgement of the continuing ties between Placerville’s veteran community and the families they serve.
“We are here to remember a Marine who gave his life in service to his country,”
organizers of the MARSOC release said of the attack that killed Mote; the release praised his courage and his willingness to put others first.
Quick facts
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Event: Memorial Wall Dedication & Remembrance for Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote
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Host: SSgt. Sky Mote Detachment No. 697, Marine Corps League.
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When: 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025.
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Where: Marine Corps League Memorial Building (Detachment lounge), Placerville.
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Public: Event is open to the public. (Organizers’ notice.)
