This past Monday (27th), which was Memorial Day, several cities in Orange County, including Yorba Linda, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, and Irvine, held commemorative events. People paid tribute to the heroes, expressed their condolences, and hoped to continue preserving the freedom and American way of life for which they sacrificed.
In the three cemeteries in Orange County – Anaheim Cemetery, El Toro Memorial Park, and Santa Ana Cemetery, the memorial activities included keynote speeches, honoring active-duty military personnel and Blue Star and Gold Star mothers, performances by honor guards and choirs, as well as rifle salute ceremonies.
This year marks the 33rd time that El Toro Memorial Park has held Memorial Day events. William Cook, Chairman of the Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, stated in his speech, “The El Toro Marine base, where many young and outstanding U.S. Marines spent their final days on American soil. When the base closed in 1999, we considered it as a veteran cemetery, and now a museum is being built there.”
Cook himself joined the Marines at the age of 17 in 1964, was stationed at El Toro base in 1967, and later deployed to Vietnam. He participated in the 1968 spring offensive and received several honors and medals for his bravery, dedication, and leadership.
Recalling his experience, Cook mentioned the particularly brutal battle at Con Thien in Vietnam in May 1967, lasting for nine months, where the Third Marine Division lost over 1,400 members.
“When you think of Memorial Day, it’s not about barbecues and vacations for us, it’s for the fallen Marines, like the 13 military personnel lost during the Afghanistan withdrawal – 11 of them were Marines,” he said.
Veteran John Huntington read Edgar Guest’s poem “Memorial Day”: “To the heroes who have passed away today, the highest tribute we can offer is not white and red wreaths, but standing by the mound, swearing to be a true warrior and loyal to the cause they died for. We must humbly say, treasure the flag as they did, pledge unwaveringly, and let the Stars and Stripes fly high.”
Mayors Mike Munzing of Aliso Viejo, Dave Wheeler of Laguna Hills, Noel Hatch of Laguna Woods, Mark Tettemer of Lake Forest, and Trish Kelley of Mission Viejo represented their cities by laying wreaths for the heroes and honoring the active-duty military personnel.
Representatives from civilian organizations also laid wreaths, with John Carson, commander of VFW Post 6024, laying a wreath on behalf of the post. He mentioned being lucky to have been deployed to Vietnam from 1968 to 1969 and later worked at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for 31 years.
Mission Viejo held a memorial event in front of City Hall. Mayor Kelley stated, “Many people see this day as a day off from school, a day of rest, or a holiday picnic. That’s why we have to hold Memorial Day events forever: to remember those who sacrificed for the country, for our freedom, and the American way of life.”
Councilman Brian Goodell said in his speech, “Memorial Day is an annual event where we pay tribute to those who have dedicated their lives and service to this country, and we are grateful for the contributions these servicemen have made for all of us.”
Marine veteran Jeff Andrade expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share his experiences in Iraq, remembering those who didn’t make it home. He emphasized the sacrifices made by servicemen and their families to secure the freedom and privileges we have today.
Andrade, who was injured in combat, stressed the importance of coping with the aftermath, both mentally and physically, and finding effective ways to manage and improve life.
Veteran Frank McCleary, who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, shared his family’s history of military service and loss, emphasizing the sacrifices made by servicemen throughout different generations.
That day, around twenty banners were displayed in the City Hall square, each briefly detailing a hero’s story. Mayor Kelley encouraged people to look at their faces and read their stories.
Every resident present received a candle which, when lit, was placed into a circular eternal flame display to commemorate each fallen soldier.