MARE ISLAND ON DUTY
Landmark site hosts first Memorial Day event since transfer process was completed
Earlier this month the transfer process of the Mare Island Naval Cemetery from the city of Vallejo to the National Cemetery Administration was finally completed.
Just in time for a special Memorial Day event Monday morning.
About 100 people showed up at the oldest naval cemetery on the West Coast. Burials — including six Russian sailors and the dog of a former commander — began at the hillside cemetery in 1856 and continued until 1921. The site, a National Historic Landmark, has three Congressional Medal of Honor recipients — James Cooney, Alexander Parker and William Halford.
On Monday, Keynote speaker Lourdes Tiglao, director for the Center for Women Veterans, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, spoke of the over 2 million women veterans. Tiglao focused on the service Mary Walker — the lone woman among the 3,500 to receive the congressional medal of honor.
“Why aren't there more stories? Women paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country when the moment called for it.” Tiglao said. “It's because women still fight to be seen as equals, or just plain seen. And not just because I'm short. We are still fighting for that equality.”
Other people on hand at Monday morning's event included Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell, Vice Mayor Rozaana Verder-Aliga, Vallejo City Councilmembers Katy Miessner and Cristina Arriola.
Deputy Secretary Virginia Wimmer spoke of what she called “the real reason” for Memorial Day.
“We know the real purpose of today and we owe it to the people who died while in service to maintain that,” Wimmer said. “We know why we get a threeday holiday and have such great barbecues. We know the purpose of today isn't lost on those who are here this morning. Recognition of veterans is not a oneday ritual. Californians understand the honor our fallen heroes and the ultimate sacrifices they made for our nation's freedom and the many rights we often take for granted.”
Helping put the event together once again was longtime veteran Nestor Aliga.
“This venue personally and me being here is to honor 860
folks who are buried here, plus 100 of their families. Overall, Memorial Day is a tough day for me,” Aliga said, fighting back tears. “It reminds me of friends that passed away. But it's a part of me to be able to do all these things. Looking at this as a celebration of life helps me. That's how I try to frame it in my head.”
Aliga was at the center of effort to restore the cemetery, along with retired U.S. Navy Captain Ralph Parrott of Virginia, who visited the cemetery in March 2017 and was appalled at its dilapidated condition. Parrott and Dep. Asst. Secretary of the Navy Karnig Ohannessian assisted the city of Vallejo in applying for the Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson introduced H.R. 5588 in April 2018, directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek out an agreement with the city of Vallejo, under which the city would transfer control of the Mare Island Naval Cemetery to the VA. The cemetery will specifically be placed under the purview of the National Cemetery Administration. That bill became law Jan. 1, 2021.
In September 2020, the Department of Defense's Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Program resumed construction at the Mare Island Preserve and the Naval Cemetery.
The IRT project includes grading, installation of drainage systems, minor restoration of burial sites, and fence repair throughout the area.
Aliga had previously hoped that the Mare Island Naval Cemetery would transition to a VA National Cemetery by July 4 and would join the Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery, which became a VA National Cemetery in 2020. The two are the oldest naval and army cemeteries on the West Coast, respectively, and will be managed by the staff of the Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery in Dixon.
Another veteran, Jeffrey Hall, who served in the Marines from 1981 through 1989, was pleased to see the cemetery in its present condition Monday and thanked Aliga.
“He was the driving force. It really needed to be a National Cemetery,” Hall said. “I was really glad to see Nestor finally get see his dream of getting this done. He wanted to see this done and represented a lot of us that wanted to see it done, too.”
Hall also said Memorial Day is a difficult day for him.
“Oh, I always think of all the sacrifices. We have Veterans Day for us who lived, but today I think of all the people that made the ultimate sacrifice so we can be free,” Hall said. “The old cliche is that freedom isn't free and some of these people have forgotten about that as time has gone by as WWII was about 80 years ago. It brings tears to my eyes, let me tell you.”