If you were calling a Canadian somewhere in the country and couldn't get an answer in 2002, maybe they were in California. There were 874,000 of us that made the trip, but probably not all at once! Canada is Los Angeles' # 1 export market and LA County's 5th largest source of foreign direct investment. Statewide, California is the Number 2 choice of destination of all Canadian travel into the country. Trade with Canada is responsible for a 1/4 million jobs in LA county alone.
That being said, I wonder how many of these Canadians take a side trip to Riverside, some 60 miles East of LA? Bet not many! And that is a shame.
As you drive to Riverside you drive past a sign saying Ontario. Don't be confused. Even they have one of them! As you pull into Riverside and drive towards March Air Reserve Base you will find the Riverside National Cemetery across the road.
That being said, I wonder how many of these Canadians take a side trip to Riverside, some 60 miles East of LA? Bet not many! And that is a shame.
As you drive to Riverside you drive past a sign saying Ontario. Don't be confused. Even they have one of them! As you pull into Riverside and drive towards March Air Reserve Base you will find the Riverside National Cemetery across the road.
This cemetery is located on land once used by the military as a base, and in the mid 1970's they donated the land for a miltary cemetery for those who had served and their families. Today it is the 5th largest Cemetery operated by the US National Cemetery Administration.
On opening day, 11 November 1978, it conducted it's first internment. This was a hero and Medal of Honor recipient named S.Sgt Ysmael Villegas who received his medal posthumously after being killed in battle in the Phillipines in WW11. His re-internment ceremony was attended by a large gathering that included no less than 15 other MOH recipients. Today there are 4 MOH recipients at rest there. The latest I believe being Colonel Lewis Millett whom you met in this space in the blog on December 15th. I had the honor of attending this hero's funeral a few years back.
On opening day, 11 November 1978, it conducted it's first internment. This was a hero and Medal of Honor recipient named S.Sgt Ysmael Villegas who received his medal posthumously after being killed in battle in the Phillipines in WW11. His re-internment ceremony was attended by a large gathering that included no less than 15 other MOH recipients. Today there are 4 MOH recipients at rest there. The latest I believe being Colonel Lewis Millett whom you met in this space in the blog on December 15th. I had the honor of attending this hero's funeral a few years back.
This cemetery has a number of very important memorials on site. One of these is one of the four nation memorials to the Medal of Honor. As you enter this memorial you pass this massive entrance marker.
Beyond this is a small pool of water that drops from a device that release many streams of water when turned on. When the site was first opened in November of 1999, and attended by 85 Medal of Honor recipients, there was a seperate stream of water being ejected into the pool for each living medal recipient. As I first entered this memorial I entered with somewhat of a splash, to the entertainment of many. The sun was facing me and it was blinding. I moved forward and walked right into the pool. Soaked to mid thigh, I exited to find several folks trying to figure out if they should be offering to help..or laugh. Most tried both. Within an hour the incedible power of the sun had my pants quite dry.
Beyond this is a small pool of water that drops from a device that release many streams of water when turned on. When the site was first opened in November of 1999, and attended by 85 Medal of Honor recipients, there was a seperate stream of water being ejected into the pool for each living medal recipient. As I first entered this memorial I entered with somewhat of a splash, to the entertainment of many. The sun was facing me and it was blinding. I moved forward and walked right into the pool. Soaked to mid thigh, I exited to find several folks trying to figure out if they should be offering to help..or laugh. Most tried both. Within an hour the incedible power of the sun had my pants quite dry.
Here's the pool that I got christened in. There are 38 panels of highly polished marble that surround the pool. On these are engraved the names of all Medal of Honor recipients dating back to the first recipients... the Andrews Raiders in 1863. There is space to allow entry of any new recipients. Panels are broken down into time frames, and in some cases names appear out of the correct sequence because they in fact may have earned a Medal in CW days but did not get it till much later, as noted in blogs you have hopefully already read in this space.
Below are four photo's with close ups of some of the names you should recognize. York, Lindenburgh, Bennett, Byrd, Murphy and William F Cody. (Buffalo Bill)
Below are four photo's with close ups of some of the names you should recognize. York, Lindenburgh, Bennett, Byrd, Murphy and William F Cody. (Buffalo Bill)
All of the lettering is in gold, but with the light shinning from various angles somethimes this is difficult to see.
These massive blocks of marble stand about 7 feet tall and perhaps four feet across.
These markers are very significant to every reader as they contain all the names of the recipients, US, Canadian and from around the world.
I visted this memorial on about 7 different trips while in California on 2 seperate ocassions. And often when I visited for yet more pictures, I would see folks running their fingers along the inscriptions honouring their relatives. It was not only quite moving, and humbling, but an incedible honor to have been able to make these trips to visit some of Canada's heritage, and all readers are encouraged to make the trip some day.
These massive blocks of marble stand about 7 feet tall and perhaps four feet across.
These markers are very significant to every reader as they contain all the names of the recipients, US, Canadian and from around the world.
I visted this memorial on about 7 different trips while in California on 2 seperate ocassions. And often when I visited for yet more pictures, I would see folks running their fingers along the inscriptions honouring their relatives. It was not only quite moving, and humbling, but an incedible honor to have been able to make these trips to visit some of Canada's heritage, and all readers are encouraged to make the trip some day.
In this series of 4 photos, look at the bottom right one and you will see a star beside the name of John Laverty. This means the FIRST medal is listed here and there is a second listed somewhere else on these panels. He is one of the 19...oops, yesterday's blog told you there are more, .. but anyway.. he is one of the double recipients.
So who are the famous fellows in these pictures. I suspect few can pick them out. First... they are all famous... they are heroes who have been awarded the medal.
But the names you may not recognize are John Grady to start with, in the upper left, who was New Brunswick born and earned his medal at Vera Cruz in 1914. In the upper right is ALonzo Pickle who was born at Farnham in Canada East, and earned a medal in the Civil War. Below him is George Low also known as George Evatt who is another CW recipient, born somewhere???? in Canada, yet to be discovered. And finally in the lower right is George L Houghton from Yarmouth Nova Scotia who earned his medal also in the Civil War.
In each of my trips I have taken photos of yet more Canadians discovered who have earned the Medal of Honor. I have over 100 of them. These however also include some who were not Canadian born, but have some connection to the country.
And it makes me quite proud to say that of the 38 panels at this monument, one of the above numbered men are on at least 28 of these panels. Canadians have every right to feel very proud of these men and a side trip to run your fingers along the engraved names will leave you with a feeling that you hopefully will not forget for a very long time.
So who are the famous fellows in these pictures. I suspect few can pick them out. First... they are all famous... they are heroes who have been awarded the medal.
But the names you may not recognize are John Grady to start with, in the upper left, who was New Brunswick born and earned his medal at Vera Cruz in 1914. In the upper right is ALonzo Pickle who was born at Farnham in Canada East, and earned a medal in the Civil War. Below him is George Low also known as George Evatt who is another CW recipient, born somewhere???? in Canada, yet to be discovered. And finally in the lower right is George L Houghton from Yarmouth Nova Scotia who earned his medal also in the Civil War.
In each of my trips I have taken photos of yet more Canadians discovered who have earned the Medal of Honor. I have over 100 of them. These however also include some who were not Canadian born, but have some connection to the country.
And it makes me quite proud to say that of the 38 panels at this monument, one of the above numbered men are on at least 28 of these panels. Canadians have every right to feel very proud of these men and a side trip to run your fingers along the engraved names will leave you with a feeling that you hopefully will not forget for a very long time.
In May of 2010 probably about a year's work on the part of myself and a woman from California, came to fruition when we hosted an unveiling ceremony for a new grave marker for Zorra Ontario born Benjamin F Youngs at LA California.
Family came from BC, Alberta, Ontario, several parts of the US and even London England. Family met family for the first time. And with this very exciting ceremony along also came not one..but two Medals of Honor owned by the proud family of Mr. Youngs. (One of the medals was a replacement when the design changed) Pictured here at Riverside are some of the decendants from Ontario, and second from the right is the then, and current serving Mayor of that community with her husband at her side.
It was most humbling to see the family handling the medals, get to know each other and coming to Riverside with me... even thought we all got lost enroute, hehe, and to see these folks actually going up to the wall and running their fingers along the inscription of their proud ancenster.
Family came from BC, Alberta, Ontario, several parts of the US and even London England. Family met family for the first time. And with this very exciting ceremony along also came not one..but two Medals of Honor owned by the proud family of Mr. Youngs. (One of the medals was a replacement when the design changed) Pictured here at Riverside are some of the decendants from Ontario, and second from the right is the then, and current serving Mayor of that community with her husband at her side.
It was most humbling to see the family handling the medals, get to know each other and coming to Riverside with me... even thought we all got lost enroute, hehe, and to see these folks actually going up to the wall and running their fingers along the inscription of their proud ancenster.
To the right is a picture of two very special people. They are Mr Lee Millett Jnr and his wife Ami. Lee is a former American serviceman who reached the rank of Sergeant. His father is the very Lewis Millett mentioned above and both folks came to Riverside when they heard I was coming back to the cemetery and wanted to meet me again and the dozen or so Canadians I brought along with me. In that bag Lee also brought along his dad's Medal of Honor to show the group. He and his wife also drove off to LA to attend the Youngs ceremony as well. I doubt you will find two finer folks in the country, and both have been very helpful with my rersearch on their father. Ami is actually pointed to Colonel Millett's name on the memorial
Lee has obviously been brought up to respect the military and he is quit proud of the very, very long list of ancestors doing their duty for the country going back to the Revolutionary War. He shares the feelings of many about the way the government has handled MIA and POW issues and after reading a book about the incredible courage of Lt Lance Peter Sigan, (well worth an internet search) his POW status and attempts at escape and then dying in captivity gave even more passion to Lee's feelings about those thousands still in the MIA/POW status. But what really infuriates Lee is that so may give the status of those missing as being unknowns. Lee argues with much passion that every one of them has a familly. They all have faces and they have names. there is nothing, he noted, that is unknown about them except where they are being held, or where they finally came to rest.
Putting this passion to work Lee, as a sculputre, made a miniature of what you see above. It represents both the MIA and the POW and as a result of his readings on Lt. Sijan, he decided to actually use a likeness of Sijan's face on the monument which is looking up tp God with open hands.
Lee's work came to be known by a group with similar feelings and connected to the Riverside cemetery. They ultimately commissioned him to make a three times life size image of that pictured above. But Lee talked them down to a 1and a 1/2 size piece so that it would be short enough so that the viewer can see the face and the struggle within that all POW's and MIA must have gone through, and perpaps continue to do in many cases.
In 2005 the US Congress designated this bronze sculpture as a National Monument to those Missing in Action and to Prisoners of War from all actions in US history.
Again a trip to the LA area and Riverside without seeing this monument would be a dis-service to the Millett family and to heroes all around the world who have and continue to pay the price for our freedom.
I'll show you some Canadian graves in California tomorrow.
Bart
Putting this passion to work Lee, as a sculputre, made a miniature of what you see above. It represents both the MIA and the POW and as a result of his readings on Lt. Sijan, he decided to actually use a likeness of Sijan's face on the monument which is looking up tp God with open hands.
Lee's work came to be known by a group with similar feelings and connected to the Riverside cemetery. They ultimately commissioned him to make a three times life size image of that pictured above. But Lee talked them down to a 1and a 1/2 size piece so that it would be short enough so that the viewer can see the face and the struggle within that all POW's and MIA must have gone through, and perpaps continue to do in many cases.
In 2005 the US Congress designated this bronze sculpture as a National Monument to those Missing in Action and to Prisoners of War from all actions in US history.
Again a trip to the LA area and Riverside without seeing this monument would be a dis-service to the Millett family and to heroes all around the world who have and continue to pay the price for our freedom.
I'll show you some Canadian graves in California tomorrow.
Bart
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