Many cities in Orange County, California, paid tribute to their heroes on Memorial Day – The Epoch Occasions

[The Epoch Times, 28 Cèitean, 2024](Epoch Occasions reporter Li Mei reported in Orange County) This Monday (twenty seventh) is Memorial Day (Nationwide Memorial Day), and Orange County’s Yorba Linda, Santa Ana, and Huntington memorial occasions have been held. in additional than a dozen cities together with the Seashores, Costa Mesa and Irvine. Individuals praised the heroes, expressed their condolences, and hoped to proceed to uphold the liberty and the American lifestyle for which they sacrificed their lives.

On Could 27, 2024, a Memorial Day occasion was held at El Toro Memorial Park in Orange County, Southern California. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)On Could 27, 2024, folks use rifles to salute fallen troopers throughout a Memorial Day occasion held at El Toro Memorial Park in Orange County, Southern California. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)On Could 27, 2024, at a Memorial Day occasion held at El Toro Memorial Park in Orange County, Southern California, the Grasp Chorale of Saddleback Valley sang “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)

Memorial Day devoted to fallen Troopers

At Orange County’s three cemetery districts – Anaheim Cemetery, El Toro Memorial Park and Santa Ana Cemetery, memorial providers embrace keynote addresses and tributes to energetic obligation army and blueprints Mom Star and Venus Blessings, honor guard ceremonies and choir, and rifle salute.

That is the thirty third time El Toro Memorial Park has hosted Memorial Day occasions. William Cook dinner, chairman of the Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Basis, stated in his speech: “The El Toro Marine base (now the Orange County Nice Park) was house to many younger and excellent veterans when the bottom closed in 1999 , was thought of the final place the place US Marines lived on American soil, and now a museum will likely be constructed there. “

On Could 27, 2024, at a Memorial Day occasion held at El Toro Memorial Park in Orange County, Southern California, William Cook dinner, chairman of the Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Basis and a former Marine spoke. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)

Cook dinner himself joined the Marine Corps in 1964 on the age of 17, was stationed on the El Toro Base in 1967, and was despatched to Vietnam once more. He participated within the Spring Offensive of 1968 and obtained many honors and medals for bravery, dedication and management.

Cook dinner recalled that the battle at Con Thien (Hill of Angels in English), Vietnam, which started in Could 1967, was notably brutal and lasted 9 months. man.”

“When you concentrate on Memorial Day, it is not for us to come back out and have barbecues and holidays, it is for the fallen Marines, the 13 service members who have been misplaced after they pulled out of Afghanistan – 11 of them as Marines. . . ” he stated.

Veteran John Huntington reads Edgar A. Visitor’s poem “Memorial Day”: “To the heroes who fell immediately, the best tribute we are able to supply Not with a wreath of white and pink roses, however by standing on the hill and telling ourselves very courageous and constant to the trigger for which they died. We should bow our heads, and say humbly, to be like them, to worth the flag as a lot as they are saying, and to sail the celebrities and the beats excessive as they did.

Aliso Viejo Mayor Mike Munzing, Laguna Hills Mayor Dave Wheeler, Laguna Woods Woods Mayor Noel Hatch, Lake Forest Mayor Mark Tettemer, Mission Viejo Mayor Tracy Kelly (Trish Kelley) laid wreaths for the heroes on behalf of their cities and paid homage to energetic army personnel.

On Could 27, 2024, at a Memorial Day occasion held at El Toro Memorial Park in Orange County, Southern California, the Mayor of Aliso Viejo and the Metropolis of Laguna Hills The mayors of Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, and Mission Viejo wreath to the heroes on behalf of every seat. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)

Representatives from some civil society teams additionally laid wreaths, and Veterans of International Wars (VFW) Submit 6024 Commander John Carson laid a wreath on behalf of the publish. He stated he was one of many fortunate ones. He was despatched to Vietnam from 1968 to 1969 and labored for the Orange County Police Division for 31 years after his discharge.

On Could 27, 2024, throughout a Memorial Day ceremony held at El Toro Memorial Park in Orange County, Southern California, Veterans of International Wars (VFW) Submit 6024 Commander John Carson (left) and President of the Memorial Park Basis Orange County Veterans, William Cook dinner shaking palms. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)

mild a candle

The town of Mission Viejo will maintain a memorial occasion in entrance of the town constructing. “Many individuals consider at the present time as a time without work from faculty, a time without work, or a day for a vacation picnic, which is why we all the time have Memorial Day: a day to recollect those that served,” stated Mayor Kelly. Those that served our nation and sacrificed to protect our freedom and the American lifestyle. “

On Could 27, 2024, a Memorial Day occasion was held in Mission Viejo, Orange County, Southern California. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)On Could 27, 2024, a household joined their youngsters at a Memorial Day occasion in Mission Viejo, Orange County, Southern California. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)

Metropolis Councilor Brian Goodell stated in his speech: “Memorial Day is an annual occasion the place we pay tribute to those that have given their lives and served our nation and honor what these service members have contributed to all of us on this nation. for the donation.”

On Could 27, 2024, at a Memorial Day occasion in Mission Viejo, Orange County, Southern California, former Marine Jeff Andrade (first from left) and Mac Viejo, metropolis councilman Brian Goodell (first from proper ), Mayor Trish Kelley (third from proper). ) and others taking a bunch photograph. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)

Marine Corps veteran Jeff Andrade stated he was grateful for the chance to share his experiences in Iraq “Among the folks I served with could not go house, their to see youngsters, to be with their households,” he stated. whose households have been affected by the ache of dropping family members who gave us a lot freedom and what we have now immediately .”

Andrade was injured within the struggle and has not but absolutely recovered. He stated: “We have now to stay with the sequelae of those experiences, whether or not it is psychological or bodily. Nothing will disappear. “Methods to Handle and Reside Higher.”

Veteran Frank McCleary additionally served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. “My grandfather fought within the Spanish-American Battle, my brothers fought in World Battle II and the Korean Battle, I went to the Vietnam Battle, and my nephew died on the battlefield in Iraq troopers within the Vietnam Battle, and bullets went in. It went by my abdomen and my wrist, however I used to be fortunate to be alive. “

On that day, about twenty flags have been raised within the sq. of the town constructing, each recording the actions of a hero. Mayor Kelly inspired folks to see their faces and browse their tales.

On Could 27, 2024, roughly twenty flags have been raised at a Memorial Day occasion in Mission Viejo, Orange County, Southern California, in reminiscence of the heroes who sacrificed their lives in earlier wars. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)On Could 27, 2024, a Memorial Day occasion was held in Mission Viejo, Orange County, Southern California. The flag on the left is Derek Gardner, a 20-year-old Marine. His great-grandfather served in World Battle II, his grandfather served within the Korean Battle, and his father served within the Vietnam Battle as a Marine. battlefield in Iraq. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)On Could 27, 2024, throughout a Memorial Day occasion in Mission Viejo, Orange County, Southern California, residents lit candles on the Everlasting Flame show in reminiscence of fallen troopers. (Li Mei/The Epoch Occasions)

Every resident who attended additionally obtained a candle. After lighting them, they positioned them one after the other within the round everlasting flame show in reminiscence of every fallen soldier. ◇

Editor-in-Chief: Jialian