Honoring Old Glory
Community turns out for patriotic event
In a ceremony steep in tradition and soaked in patriotism, the city of Porterville Wednesday evening once again paid homage to the flag of the United States of America.
People dressed in red, white and blue filled the crowd at the Grocery Outlet parking lot for Flag Day — a day of significance for all Americans.
Patriotic speeches and music filled the air and the event ended with the moving removal of the large American flag which flies over the parking lot and the raising of the new flag which will fly along Olive Avenue for the next 12 months.
Robert Edward Boulton, a retired educator and one of a long line of “Roberts” in his family, told of his father’s experience in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941.
Boulton, who served in the Air Force for five years, comes from a long line of those who have served their country, including a great-great-great-grandfather who served in the Civil War. But it was his father who he spoke about Wednesday.
His father, Robert Harold Boulton, was a signalman aboard the USS California on that fateful day which plunged the United States into World War II. He was below deck when the alarm sounded, but spent the next several days helping the US Navy recover from the attack which took more than 2,000 lives.
Boulton told his father had only been on the bridge 12 minutes that morning when the USS Oklahoma capsized after being bombed. He said his father recalled hearing the tapping of men trapped in the hull of that mighty ship.
His ship was also struck and sunk, but the bridge remained above the water line. As a signalman, he and the rest of his signal corps would serve on that bridge into January, said Boulton.
Boulton spoke with pride of his father’s service and the action he saw, telling that initially his family had been told he was killed in action.
“The family was getting ready for the funeral when they were told he was alive and grief turned to joy,” said Boulton.
He repeated a popular phrase of that time
— “They hope to be alive in 45” and “luckily, dad made it.”
He concluded his remarks by saying words which were for all those who served and all those who died — “Thanks for your service.”
Christy Bartlett had the honor of naming the Alta Mira Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Community Service Award honoree, retired Superior Court Judge Glade Roper.
Brinkley told how Roper quickly adopted his new home after moving to Porterville with his wife, Glena Christenson, in 1981.
“He had a vision of living a small-town life and making a difference in the community,” said Brinkley.
She noted the many things Judge Roper got involved with, including Boy Scouts, the Porterville Sheltered Workshop, Rotary and more, always giving 110 percent, “always striving to make matters better for others.”
After he was appointed to the Court by Gov. George Deukmejian in 1989, Judge Roper began a long and distinguished career, serving most of his time in Porterville. She noted his greatest joy came from his establishment of Drug Court and the scores of people he helped.
“I believe it’s safe to say that, at least in this small town, Porterville Drug Court is synonymous with Judge Glade Roper,” said Brinkley.
Usually not short on words, Roper was caught off guard by the honor.
“This is a surprise and a great honor. There are so many people who contribute so much to this community,” he said.
Also during the ceremony, Christine Redwine was announced as the winner of the Flag Day Essay contest.