City officials and veterans groups joined the late William G. Walsh’s family Saturday to recognize a new biography plaque on the hero square dedicated to the late World War II veteran, and announce the square’s relocation to the memorial placed in the park that also bears his name.

Veterans agent Robert Santiago told those gathered at the corner of Gallivan Boulevard and Washington Street that he had been to a small ceremony in the park on Memorial Day hosted by the last-remaining members of the William G. Walsh Post. At the time, they were looking for Walsh relatives to advocate for the fallen Marine gunnery sergeant.

Santiago noticed there was no biography of Walsh, and few knew much about him, and so the wheels were set in motion.

“He was not only a hero, he was a friend, a husband, a neighbor and a son,” said Santiago, noting that Walsh jumped on top of a grenade thrown at his unit on Iwo Jima, and saved all his fellow soldiers while sacrificing himself.

Marine Gunnery Sergeant William G. Walsh was killed in combat during the Battle of Iwo Jima in Feb. 1945.

“This biography plaque is a way to remember him and educate our community about what he did and what he sacrificed and why we remember him,” said Santiago.

Santiago said the city has plans to move the Hero Square from the island in the middle of Gallivan Boulevard, which is now quite isolated, and place it in front of Walsh Park, which is also named after him. That will be done perhaps as soon as Memorial Day 2024.

“Over here (on Gallivan), it’s a little lost and we should give him the respect of putting it where it’s most important to the community – especially for a Medal of Honor recipient, which he was,” said Santiago.

Marine Gunnery Sergeant William G. Walsh was killed in combat during the Battle of Iwo Jima in Feb. 1945.

Family members, including Rich Gormley of West Roxbury and Mark Smith of Stoughton, filled in the details of Walsh – which have largely been lost. The family immigrated from Ireland to East Boston, then later to Roxbury and on to Dorchester. In 1946, one year after Walsh was killed, the Hero Square was dedicated. Parts of the family moved on to Milton and others to West Roxbury, eventually spreading as far as Worcester.

Family members said during Walsh’s life, his parents lived at 842 Washington St., but later moved down Washington Street closer to the city park that now bears his name.

“William G. Walsh was on a baseball team and the whole team went and signed up together,” said family member Mark Smith. “They went the day after Pearl Harbor, and they all waited outside of the office until it opened up so they could sign up.”

Walsh was 18 when he signed up for the Marines, starting duty on Jan. 6, 1942. He was killed on Feb. 27, 1945, while serving in the Pacific Theatre in a famed battalion known as “Carlson’s Raiders.” He left behind his wife, Mary Louise. The Neponset River Bridge from Dorchester to North Quincy is named after another Walsh, the Rev. Cormac Walsh – the most decorated chaplain during the Korean War.