ROCHESTER, N.Y. — ​A part of Highland Park was named Thursday in honor of a local Medal of Honor recipient.

The area near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Future War on Terror Memorial will now be named Gary Beikirch Memorial Park.

Beikirch served as a green beret in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1973 for his actions as a Combat Medic during the Battle at Dak Seang in April of 1970.

“It’s truly humbling to think that a part of this park will have my name. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. But my hope is when others visit, they’ll see more than just one name. My hope is that they’ll see the 280 names, the faces on the Vietnam Memorial,” Beikirch said.

“The world needs Gary more than it ever has. But most importantly, they need the truth and wisdom that resides within him. We need his message. It is my hope that 10 years in the future when we are all gone. Someone will walk along Highland Avenue on their way into this beautiful park with their kids to enjoy the day. See the sign and look to their children and say let me teach you about Gary Beikirch and what he stood for,” Nick Stefanovic, Monroe County Veterans Service Agency director, added.