All parts of a proper Memorial Day ceremony were present Monday
morning when Morgan Hill honored its veterans at the downtown
Veterans
’ Memorial.
All parts of a proper Memorial Day ceremony were present Monday morning when Morgan Hill honored its veterans at the downtown Veterans’ Memorial.
As it has for 12 years, the event was created and organized by Vietnam veteran, Eddie Bowers.
Flying overhead was the flag that had covered the coffins of Leo Soto Sr. and his son Richard Acosta Soto, veterans of World War II and Vietnam.
School children sang patriotic songs, the Rev. Anita Warner from Advent Lutheran Church prayed for American service personnel and the government officials who send them off to war.
About 20 men and women raised their hands when asked to identify themselves as having served in the military. Most were older since it has not been necessary in a generation for large numbers of American youth to go to war.
Morgan Hill has been fortunate in recent conflicts not to lose its sons and daughters to war – the last active duty death was Tim Uderitz who served in Panama.
But, since last year’s observance at the downtown memorial, Veteran’s Day in November, California has lost 20 of its finest to the latest affair in Iraq and the nation has lost many more.
This gathering numbered many small children and several older teens and twenty-somethings, besides the parents and grandparents who normally mark the event.
Morgan Hill’s Veteran Memorial has a perpetual American flag that flies over the plaque listing the names of fallen servicemen but, on this day, a special flag is always raised to the top of the flagpole. Bowers chose the Soto flag.
Bowers said that flags draping the coffins of veterans have a meaning for him.
“When I go to a funeral and see that flag, it’s special,” he said “By flying it on Memorial Day, I can thank them for what they’ve done. It’s a relief thing to me. What good is it to get a flag and never have it flown,” he asked.
Raised at the same time was the black POW/MIA banner from the Vietnam era.
Earl Royce, a World War II soldier and former shop teacher at Live Oak High School, helped raise the Soto flag. Royce was wearing his original military uniform – he’s one of the few who can still fit into it.
Warner paid tribute to Bowers’ effort by recalling her first trip to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.
“The wall is covered with thousands and thousands of names,” she said. “In a similar way Eddie and his friends have done us that service in Morgan Hill by writing the names of our young who went off to serve but were killed before they could return home.”
Juan Casares, a Vietnam veteran who lives in Morgan Hill read the names engraved in bronze and was followed by Steve Johnson playing the bugle call Taps.
A veteran of Vietnam who was wounded in action, Mike Farrell, laid one wreath; Eddie Colis laid the other.
Ten of Karen Crane’s students from local school sang God Bless the USA and God Bless America. Catherine Connor, 12 from Paradise Valley school, sang Amazing Grace. Connor sang at the recent Relay for Life and is a soloist at the Patriotic Sing Crane produces every July 3.
New this year were three little girls – Amanda, Alexandra and Nicole – who are part of a cheerleading class sponsored by the Morgan Hill Recreation Department at the community center. The gave a patriotic tribute and cheer.
Also new is the “blue star flag”, a small bit of meaningful bunting given to the parents of serving military personnel to hang in their windows. It is an effort of the American Legion.
“They did something like this during World War II,” Bowers told the crowd as he unfurled the small banner. He also thanked Norma of Wilson’s Florists for providing the wreaths and Pat for the flowers. Pat, Bowers said, wanted to be known only by his first name.
At the end, it was Bowers who received the biggest applause and thanks from a grateful community. He brings the parts together and makes it all happen.
“I think he’s awesome,” Crane said after the ceremony. “He quietly goes about what he believes in very passionately, never asking for any credit.”
