Walter Ehlers receiving Medal of Honor.
Walt Ehlers was a highly decorated World War II veteran that was a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Walt came from Kansas and lived in Garden Grove since he returned from the war, before his passing some years back. Walt landed on D-Day on Omaha Beach and he lost his brother the same day just a mile or two down the beach. Walt was a treasured fixture here in Orange County and attended every veteran event and political event over the years. Because of a list of events too long to burden the message here, Walt Ehlers is presently interned in Riverside County Veterans Cemetery. Walt could have been buried at Arlington National Cemetery or at Forest Lawn or virtually anywhere including the Punch Bowl in Hawaii or on the shores of Normandy, France.
Today, we celebrate the sacrifice of veterans from days gone past to the veterans in the modern day trenches of the Middle East, Africa and a hundred or more places scattered around the globe. What seems sad is that of the petty jealously – of land use and the the choices of our electeds seems to diminish these sacrifices greatly. Whether Five Points or whether the original location of a cemetery at El Toro, now the developers choice for new housing developments…..will be chosen due to antagonism from residents around the Five Points Location or the loss of pay in the hands of those wanting the original El Toro Marine Corp Air Base for their own purposes.
One thing is certain, we need an appropriate name for this cemetery which will serve the veterans of Orange County and California. It will take some an effort by those with a clear and present vision of what must be represented by this location and its substance. We implore all veterans to become involved, make your voices heard. We cannot rely on the “usual suspects” to promote, protect or establish a new icon for our Regional Mission. The vested interests of land developers aside….the vested interests of elected politicians aside……and the vested interest of self promoting individuals wanting to place their own hash tags on this endeavor must be thwarted.
Our proposal is simple: Honor all five service branches but name the location with a suitable memorable representation. Walt Ehlers War Memorial Cemetery……would do just fine. The Thomas C. Riley Terminal or the John Wayne Airport…….will not do for this purpose. We need an actual war hero….and we suggest that if you can think of a better name……we are open to any of your suggestions!
With all due respect to a True American Hero, Walt Ehlers, I feel it would be more appropriate to honor all veterans by naming it The Armed Forces Veterans Memorial Cemetery. What I have learned about Mr. Ehlers he would have wanted the focus to be on all veterans.
With all due respect to a True American Hero, Walt Ehlers, I feel it would be more appropriate to honor all veterans by naming it The Armed Forces Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Orange County. What I have learned about Mr. Ehlers he would have wanted the focus to be on all veterans.
*Tommy Lee,
We humbly disagree. The AFVMCofOC….is not a catchy name like Arlington or Forest Lawn. The Walter D. Ehlers War Memorial Cemetery has a ring to it.
The Marines want the Barber Memorial Cemetery. Guess the Navy would want
“The Sullivan Bros. Memorial Cemetery”
nice meeting you yesterday at the Orange County Fairground Veterans event.
*We attended the Veteran’s Day event at the Fairgrounds. There was a very big turnout
and lots of booths and support for vets. The Homeless support for our Veterans is stymied by the Board of Supervisors….according to reports….from the field. The biggest lie out there is that providing Andy Gumps for sanitary purposes “will only encourage more homelessness”……what are they people smoking? Those new Left Wing Luckies must be pretty darn powerful….for those than can afford them!
The good news is that all Veterans are being counted and put on a “Available Housing List” that is based upon need, health and desire. Ask all Homeless folks if they are Veterans…if so, make sure that local law enforcement and those affected get put on the County Available Housing list.
By, the way…….”the Walter D. Ehlers War Memorial Cemetery” concept went over well,
only the Marine guys that are getting support from who knows where….have made up
Commemorative Coins with the following: Southern California Regional Veterans Cemetery ……as the proposed name. Brutal and surely NOT worthy. Time for veterans and those residents around Strawberry Fields to sound off…loudly!
*Where does Colonel Doug Applegate come down on this Cemetery issue? And Issa for that matter…..pretty quiet from those camps eh?
I’ve heard that all former and current county Democratic leaders who have taken a position favor the freeway adjacent site. So I presume (but don’t assume) that Col. Applegate would do so as well.
Meanwhile, Agran would now rather see no cemetery at all than to lose this fight:
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/11/15/former-irvine-mayor-larry-agran-files-suit-against-city-to-stop-veterans-cemetery-land-swap/
You know, I actually voted for the guy in the 1992 Illinois primary because — having followed Jerry Brown’s zigs and zags over the years — I didn’t consider Brown to be a sufficient protest vote against the (Bill) Clinton juggernaut. The notion that my lonely vote out there in the hinterlands may have been the one that inflated Agran’s ego to a size larger than both proposed cemetery parcels combined will always haunt me.
*Heard from Sperak that the political winds on the Cemetery issue are moving faster than a Hurricaine through Florida. The truth of the matter is that a final decision will have to stand the test of time and veracity.
*Hey, wasn’t nice to see The Trumpster honor those Native American Code Talkers: Never heard him say Geronimo however! Did hear him say Pocahontas….however! So we just say Black Hawk, Red Cloud and Oceola……to that!
Which is Cherokee for “Hunya…Hunya …Hey!” Which means: Andrew Jackson was one dirty SOB!