City pays tribute to local heroes
In Watsonville, volunteers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the local American Legion post and others rise before the sun is up on Memorial Day. They line both sides of Freedom Boulevard in Watsonville with the billowing colors of the U.S. Flags honoring Memorial Day and the ultimate sacrifice of men and women who served in our military forces defending the liberty and freedom we all enjoy today. I invite you to come to our beautiful city and take a moment down the Boulevard of Flags to pay tribute to local heroes.
We remember and honor 19-year-old Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Victor A. Gonzalez who dreamed of returning to Watsonville to become a police officer. In his sophomore year, he joined the Watsonville Police Department's Cadet program. In 2004, Gonzalez was tragically killed during combat in Iraq. The Watsonville High School graduate was a rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton. He had been in Iraq less than six weeks.
We also say thank you to those who have taken time out of their lives to serve our country and are fortunate to have come back to their hometown and continue to serve and thrive in our community.
• Lt. Col. Harry Wiggins, US Army retired, is a Watsonville High School Hall of Famer, a scoutmaster, and highly respected community activist and servant. Harry continues to serve the community by organizing the annual Veterans Day Parade and serving as a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
• Felipe Hernandez is a former Watsonville mayor and current Cabrillo College trustee, who joined the U.S. Army at
17. Felipe served as a combat medic and was deployed with the 1st Cavalry Division to Operation Desert Shield, which later turned into Desert Storm, earning his combat patches as well as the National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars. He also serves as the current commander of the American Legion.
• Rick Sanchez enlisted in the