Prepared by: Marvin Heinze (friend)
Master Chief Dennis Costa, U.S. Navy (Ret.), a native of Reno, Nevada, joined the Navy in August 1973 as an aviation ordnanceman, following in the footsteps of his father, Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Robert E. Costa. After initial training, he reported to Attack Squadron 65. During three deployments aboard the USS Independence, a young Costa learned how to handle ordnance and arm A-6 attack aircraft. After a tour in the NAS Jacksonville Weapons Department, he returned to sea with VA-145, completing three deployments on the USS Ranger, again supporting A-6 aircraft.
After years of handling bombs, Master Chief Costa spent two years in Quantico helping operate the brig. Returning to sea aboard the USS Constellation, he served as the G-3 Division leading petty officer, assembling weapons and managing the ship’s magazines.
While aboard the USS Constellation, he was selected as the Sailor of the Year and named the Navy-wide Aviation Ordnanceman of the Year. After selection for chief petty officer, Costa was assigned to Recruit Training Command Great Lakes as a company commander, stopping in Omaha for leave and to complete chief’s initiation.
Costa returned to sea for the next eight years, serving on the USS Ranger and USS Constellation. His final tour was aboard the USS Stennis, where he coordinated a Tiger Cruise, allowing sailors’ children to sail home from Hawaii with their fathers. In 1999, Master Chief Costa received the John C. Stennis “Look Ahead” award.
Retiring from the Navy in January 2000, Costa joined the Navy Supply Command at NAS North Island, managing weapon load plans and ordnance repositioning.
In the community, Master Chief Costa has been a cornerstone of our Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2422, serving as senior vice commander and then as quartermaster for 22 years. He has been the “man behind the screen,” organizing the preparations and logistics for every Coronado Memorial Day ceremony this century.
Costa’s wife, Suzy, remained in Coronado throughout his sea tours – except for a honeymoon in Tasmania. Together, they have lived in Coronado for more than 30 years and now welcome many of their seven children and 11 grandchildren as frequent visitors.
The Avenue of Heroes military service recognition program is sponsored by the City of Coronado. Introduced in 2014, the program has honored 293 hometown heroes to date. On May 17, 2025, another 16 were honored. City staff and dedicated volunteers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2422, the Coronado Historical Association and the Third and Fourth Streets Neighborhood Association oversee its operation.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Avenue of Heroes program – ten years of telling the stories of courage, sacrifice, and service that are woven into the fabric of Coronado.
The inspiration for the program emerged in 2011, when the community spontaneously came together to honor the passage of two fallen Navy SEALs to their final resting place. As news spread, members of the local Rotary Club handed out American flags, and residents lined Fourth Street in solemn tribute. As the procession neared the Coronado Bridge, a lone Navy SEAL stood at attention, saluting his fallen comrades. In that moment, it became clear: Third and Fourth streets were already an Avenue of Heroes.
That spontaneous beginning launched the program in May 2015 with 18 banners. Since then, the Avenue of Heroes has served as a powerful reminder of Coronado’s deep military roots and legacy of service.
