They don’t call it the home of the brave for nothing.
The weather was treacherous on Monday morning, with a downpour of rain in Vallejo making conditions less than ideal for a Veterans Day ceremony at Mare Island Naval Cemetery.
That wasn’t a problem for a group that showed up to honor veterans who have certainly been in tougher situations than this one.
Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell is a veteran himself, and although the day is very important to him, he read the room well and used humor to his advantage as he set the tone with a pitch-perfect opening speech.
“Thank you all for being brave today and coming out despite the weather,” McConnell said. “Now let’s get on and let’s get out of here.”
Although many of the following speakers took his cue with shorter speeches, their goal was to make sure the message lasted forever.
Solano County Board of Supervisor Monica Brown quoted Ronald Reagan in her statement.
“Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war,” Brown said quoting Reagan. “We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us. That is our duty. They have never let America down. We will not let them down.”
Brown spoke of her father and uncle who fought in World War II and how she didn’t know how her grandmother handled it. She also spoke of her uncle who served in the Korean War while mentioning the difficulties of war for all concerned parties.
“We’re here because we want to make sure everyone is remembered, remembered for their sacrifices and what their families had to do,” Brown said.
Solano County Supervisor Erin Hannigan talked about growing up with her grandfather and his older brother. When she visited his place as a kid she would often play hide-and-go-seek.
“One of my favorite places to hide was in the guest bedroom closet where a uniform hung,” Hannigan said. “It was an Army uniform with stripes and medals and shiny buttons, easily pressed and ready to wear at a moment’s notice. I was a young girl and I never asked my grandparents about the uniform and I wish I had.”
The event was full of veterans like Monte Simmons, who said he would have come no matter what the weather was like. Kevin Milton, a mechanic for years with the Air Force was also in attendance.
So was Luther Hendricks, who keynote speaker Michelle Kwok honored with a certificate, calling him an “inspiration to us all.” Hendricks, who is 99 years young, served in WWII and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2012.
Kwok, who is the Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration Pacific District’s Executive Director, spoke about the honor of being at the Naval Cemetery, which was officially transferred from the City of Vallejo to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs last year.
The cemetery, the oldest Naval one on the West Coast and designated as a National Historic Landmark, has gone through a major restoration. Neglected for years, a process to repair it began shortly after retired U.S. Navy Commander Ralph Parrott visited the venue and voiced his displeasure’s about the condition to then-Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson’s legislation also was a major factor in restoring the cemetery. when he directed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek out an agreement with the City of Vallejo.
“This morning we are here on this hallowed ground at Mare Island to recognize the men and the women who served American in uniform in war and peace, past and present, home and abroad,” Kwok said. “Over the course of American history veterans stood for principles and values far greater than the discomfort we’ll find here today. Thank you for attending today and recognizing the selflessness of our veterans.”
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