Sergeant Major Ramona D. Cook, USMC, Camp Pendleton
It may have taken six years to accomplish but this collaborative effort to construct a veterans memorial on the campus of Saddleback College by staff, faculty and students is a memorial that I encourage everyone in Orange County to visit.
Let me not overlook the veterans and local community supporters who helped raise the funds for this monument. The monument was envisioned by former college President Richard McCullough on Memorial Day 2004 to express gratitude for those who have served our nation. And as pointed out by one of the speakers, who could imagine students raising money to honor veterans as he reflected back on the treatment of our returning veterans after the Vietnam War.
Among the many veterans in attendance was Medal of Honor recipient John Baca who, in 1970, served in the US Army’s First Calvary Division in Vietnam. President Richard Nixon presented the Medal of Honor to John at the White House on June 15, 1971.
Veterans Memorial..Saddleback College, Mission Viejo
I would be remiss not to point out a unique feature of the design. “The memorial was designed with light in mind. It was built by the artists with an 11/11/11 orientation, meaning that at 11 o’clock a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month (Veterans Day) each year, the soldier in the memorial will be fully illuminated by the sun. Additionally, during the months of December and January, the sun shines through the east facing side of the memorial, illuminating the soldier with a halo of light.”
Medal of Honor recipient John Baca
Sergeant Major Ramona D. Cook, the highest ranking NCO at Camp Pendleton thanked the college for this project. Her bio mentions her being “deployed with Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, ” and later “deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom until March 2005″. “In May of that same year she was recognized by the Congressional Women’s Caucus as the Outstanding Female Marine Senior Non Commissioned Officer.”
The flag that was flown over the US Embassy in Vietnam that was raised by three Vietnam vet’s yesterday was “donated to the college by Chapter 785 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, who received the flag from Pete Peterson, the United States first ambassador to Vietnam.”
I think the Register reporter needs to walk with me at the next event they cover. For some reason I actually counted the chairs and those standing in the rear and sides of this quad. There were 1,000 attendees, not 500 as reported in today’s Register, but that should not take away from the success of this event.
It looks like a beautiful memorial. I think this is cool:
I would be remiss not to point out a unique feature of the design. “The memorial was designed with light in mind. It was built by the artists with an 11/11/11 orientation, meaning that at 11 o’clock a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month (Veterans Day) each year, the soldier in the memorial will be fully illuminated by the sun. Additionally, during the months of December and January, the sun shines through the east facing side of the memorial, illuminating the soldier with a halo of light.”
I wouldn’t go too hard on the Register though. I’m surprised they showed up at all. They must lean right.
From CNN:
One year after the ban on photographing war dead returning to the U.S. was lifted, it is rare to see those images in the mainstream media….
Over the past year, 472 of these transfers have occurred at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where every casualty is handled by the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Center to prepare the body’s return to families.
Of those 472, about 260–or 55 percent–have been open to media coverage, according to statistics from the Mortuary Affairs office. And over the past year, the media attendance has dropped off to a trickle.
“Those numbers reflect that the interest in covering the story diminishes as the story becomes repetitive,” said Ralph Begleiter, a former network correspondent and now professor of communications at the University of Delaware.
Translation: “We never gave a damn about America’s war dead in the first place. And now that Bush is gone, we don’t have to pretend we do.”
Another cool thing: it was designed by two Saddleback art professors, and built by Saddleback students. My family confirms Larry’s numbers are closer to the truth. Nice to know that they underestimate these things just as they underestimate protests of all kinds. Knowing Register journalists as I do, I would guess they start counting 1, 2, 3, and eventually get tired and just write something down.
Without naming names, I did receive an email from the college thanking me for the post and keeping the Register honest on the number of attendees.
Update: Make it 1,200. Eight hundred seats filled, and four hundred standing. This comes from the people who set up the seats. Lame-ass Register.
Vern. I walked the entire area and stood in the rear where I did see some empty seats.
As guests, students and servicemen started arriving I did speak to several college Trustees and elected’s including Assembly Member Diane Harkey. I did thank Diane for her efforts to block the sale of the OC Fair Grounds as well as her opposing the proposed HSR.
Larry,
Thank you for this post!
This event was very inspiring because the students also participated greatly in this memorial. You don’t need to be “pro-war” to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans, and their families!
This is a great way for the community to continuously keep our troops and our returning veterans in our hearts and minds.
Francisco “Paco” Barragan
Commander, UMAVA
Commander@umava.org
http://umava.org
Paco. Having been at the college a few years ago I was aware of their efforts and did not want to miss this special occasion.
If you did not make it yesterday perhaps you can come down with Vern at a future time and we can link up.
Paco was there of course! With his United Mexican-American Veterans. My Mom met him. I unfortunately had an unworkable work/transportation conflict.
The event was all about service and sacrifice and remembering those who answered a higher calling. It isn’t often I attend an event that those in attendance are real American hero’s. Saying I was humbled to meet and have my picture taken with a Medal of Honor recipient John Baca is an understatement. From Undersecretary Rocky Chavez, Sergeant Major Ramona D. Cook, Chief Harry Parmer, Board of Governors members Manuel Baca and Bobby McDonald the Chairman of the Veterans committee for the California Community College System and the others your commitment to make veterans a priority is the first and best step in helping those who have sacrificed for the rest of us.
To those who’s hard work and commitment to making this memorial a reality your actions will live on well beyond your years. Thank you and God bless everyone who had even the slightest part in making this memorial a reality.