HONOR FALLEN HEROES

The Memorial Day Ceremony at the Hays County Veterans Memorial was heralded by the melodic tunes of the Aquarena Springs Symphonic Band, fitting for a service in honor of those who have given their lives for the good of the community and the nation.

Held Monday, the event moderator was the San Marcos Veteran Affairs Advisory Committee Chair and U.S. Navy veteran David Franklin. The San Marcos CISD High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps posted the colors. The AFJROTC’s rigid movements and marching between various formations were graceful and sure to make any veteran proud.

San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson came to the podium to speak and honor current veterans as well as those that have passed. She noted that Monday was the 20th anniversary of the dedication of the Hays County Memorial Veterans Memorial, which was brought into existence by Vietnam Veteran Richard V. Cruz, WWII veteran Toby Tobias and U.S. Army veteran Ponte Moreno.

“Memorial Day is a day of patriotism and pride. A pride that we should instill in our future generations so they too will understand that freedom is never free,” Hughson said. “As we reflect on all the ways we can honor our local veterans who are still with us, let’s also reflect, especially today, on the real people, with real lives and connections to our neighbors, friends and families, who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives for our country. As you pass the flags lining our streets for this holiday or gaze at the Veterans Memorial take a moment to remember the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices made for you and our nation.”

U.S. Navy Merchant Marine Jim Howard was the keynote speaker and the recent recipient of the Vietnam War Pin from Wreaths Across America. Though his walk to the podium was labored, he marched on, without help, like the warrior that he is. He talked about the joy of visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. in the past and visiting The Wall that Heals in Kyle, the smaller replica of the Vietnam Memorial at the Capital, this past year.

Wreaths were added to the center of the memorial to honor the men who were killed in action. The wreaths were placed by U.S. Air Force Veteran Martin Ferguson, donated by the City of San Marcos, U.S. Army Veteran Richard Cruz, donated by AMVETS Post 104, U.S. Army Veteran Jerry DeLeon, donated by American GI Forum and U.S. Army Veteran and Commander of VFW Post 3413 Stephanie Brown, donated by the Veteran Affairs Advisory Committee. “We would like to now invite all retired and active-duty service members as well as any Gold Star Family Members to either stand or come forward to salute and pay respects to our fallen soldiers,” Franklin said.

Veterans came up one by one to give a salute and show their respect for the fallen veterans of Hays County as Hymn to the Soldiers was played by the band.

The names of all of Hays County Veterans who were killed in action since World War I were read aloud.

U.S. Navy Veteran Cody Stauffer read the names from WWI: Clarence B. Allen Jack Arnold Simon Gonzales Tom F. Harwell Murray E. Lawrence Clinton Stevens Lindsey Austin Rodgers Lowery Willis Mayfield Otto Moeller Overton O. Perkins Maurice Thomas Suttles Charles W. Walters Henry M. Whipple George A. Zapalac

Brown read the names from World War II: Rodulfo A. Barrera Casimiro M. Besinaiz George R. Bible James Thomas Brumley Reyes Canales Preston C. Clark Claude Clark Luis G. Costilla Rafael V. Cruz James Henry Cummings John Albert Decker Thomas Elliott Falls Jr.

Orman L. Fitzhugh Arthur Edward Gary David Gauna Joe. A Gomez Rexford G. Harber John W. Hargus William E. Herzog Thomas E. Key Jr.

Marshall Arlson Langley Ramon Lucio Saturnino L. Martinez Jack Mathis Johnny James McCarty Deroy L. Miller Juan P. Nevares Charles Benjamin Nichols Jr. Charles Eugene Oldham Jr.

Walter L. Oliver Willie W. Oliver Raymond T. Pacheco Jessie A. Palacios Jose Ramirez Logan Wilson Roberts Pedro C. Rocha Santiago G. Sanchez Leroy A. Schaefer Harry W. Scheel Clarence Alfred Schuetzeberg Carroll E. Smith Alfred T. Strachbein Lewis Ross Summers Robert Edwin Taylor Francis G. Truesdale Oran Nelson Tuttle Alvin Edward Vetter Bobbie W. Wagner Colvin L. Watson Jesse Glenn Wimberley

U.S. Navy Veteran Michael Knaebel read the names from the Korean Conflict: Walter E. Allen Darwin E. Herrin Arthur Love Jr.

Daniel Sanchez Sydney Philip Smith Sydney William Weatherford

U.S. Navy Veteran Clay Green read the names from the Vietnam War: Henry Edward Barber Jr. Juan Esquivel Cortez Michael R. Dorman Edward Joseph Edmund Victor Flores Jr.

Jesse Eulojio Garcia Edward Ray Gaytan Armando A. Gomez Manuel Gonzales Vicente Ramirez Gonzales Mateo Juarez Alfredo Lopez Jr.

Richard Lopez Kenneth H. McLendon Baynes Ballew McSwain Jr. Bobby Lee Roberts Gerald Ray Roberts Felix Rodriguez Homer Doyle Spring Thomas Nelson Stiles Allen W. Thomas Conrad Jack Wheeler

U.S. Army Veteran Linda Gatlin read the names for Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Desert Storm: Melford R. Collins

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Michael W. Davis Jacob H. Neal Kristian Menchaca

Operation Enduring Freedom: Captain Paul W. Pena Joseph Frankhauser