The George F. Schlatter Veterans Memorial Amphitheater sits on the shore of Clear Lake at Eastern Florida State College’s Cocoa Campus, where it has served as Brevard County’s civic gathering place for remembrance since 1982. Named for Brigadier General George F. Schlatter, a retired U.S. Air Force officer and longtime trustee of the college’s board, the open-air venue blends a quiet lakeside setting with a solemn purpose: honoring the men and women of Brevard County who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces.
At the heart of the amphitheater stands the Wall of Honor, inscribed with the names of more than 100 Brevard County service members killed in action from World War I through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each November, the college hosts its annual Veterans Day ceremony and Massing of the Colors here, drawing veterans, color guards, and community members to the lakeside amphitheater for one of the Space Coast’s largest tributes to the fallen.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Eastern Florida State College, Cocoa Campus, Cocoa, Florida
- Setting: Shoreline of Clear Lake, on an 87-acre campus
- Opened: 1982
- Operator: Eastern Florida State College (formerly Brevard Community College)
- Team(s): None — civic memorial venue
- Named For: Brig. Gen. George F. Schlatter, USAF (Ret.), BCC trustee and board chairman
- Wall of Honor: More than 100 Brevard County war dead listed, WWI to present
A Lakeside Memorial on Campus
The amphitheater occupies a corner of the college’s 87-acre Cocoa Campus, with seating facing out over Clear Lake near the heart of the grounds. Eastern Florida State College, known as Brevard Community College when the amphitheater was built in 1982, maintains the site as both an outdoor event space and a place of quiet reflection for students, staff, and visitors passing along the lake.
Honoring General Schlatter’s Service
Brigadier General George F. Schlatter was a career Air Force officer who flew combat missions over Europe during World War II and later worked on the Atomic Energy Commission’s weapons-testing staff before retiring in 1960. He settled in Melbourne, Florida, and was appointed to the Brevard Community College Board of Trustees in 1970, serving as its chairman starting in 1974. The amphitheater carries his name in recognition of that civic service alongside his military record.
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George F. Schlatter Veterans Memorial Amphitheater FAQs
Who was General George F. Schlatter?
He was a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general who flew combat missions in Europe during World War II and later served as chairman of the Brevard Community College Board of Trustees, the role that led the college to name the amphitheater in his honor.
What is the Wall of Honor at the amphitheater?
It’s a memorial wall at the amphitheater’s entrance inscribed with the names of more than 100 Brevard County residents who died serving in the U.S. armed forces, from World War I through the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Can the public visit the amphitheater?
Yes. It sits on the open Cocoa Campus of Eastern Florida State College and hosts the college’s public Veterans Day ceremony and Massing of the Colors every November, in addition to being accessible as part of the campus grounds.
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Photo by Hugo Magalhaes on Pexels.