Veterans honored at City Hall
Three times during Wednesday’s Veterans Day ceremony behind City Hall at the granite memorial wall, Melvin Byrd paused to take calls.
He can be forgiven. They were from relatives wishing him a happy Veterans Day.
“It made me feel good,” Byrd said. “At least they’re thinking of me.”
It was Byrd, 78, a 21-year Navy veteran, and everyone else who has served in the military — especially those who made that ultimate sacrifice — who were saluted Wednesday in the annual event at the Waterfront Park Memorial.
“The men and women who gave their all to defend freedom and democracy here and around the world,” said Vallejo Vice Mayor Hermie Sunga, a veteran who presented master of ceremonies Robert Mattson with a proclamation from the city.
“Today reminds us of the sacrifices of our veterans and soldiers,” read Sunga, lamenting difficult times facing many returning vets.
“Imagine how tough it is for many who return to civilian life and continue to struggle,” Sunga said. “We have many veterans who still struggle.”
Around 7,000 veterans remain in Vallejo, said Sunga, “honorable men and women who risked everything and should never have to fight for dignity, health care, social services, education, housing and unemployment opportu
nities. We must make it our mission to give them the respect and care they have earned.”
A Vallejo veteran and former submariner, Michael Brigandi, said he’s been to roughly 15 of the annual ceremonies “because I served … and I knew guys that died in ‘Nam and other places.”
Brigandi noted that the Veterans Day event “usually gets a lot more people .. but COVID ..; it’s cold, and it’s a combination of we’re old,” he laughed.
Brigandi believed Veterans Day isn’t respected nearly as much as it was 20 years ago.
“It’s getting less and less attention. The less wars we’re in, the more people forget,” Brigandi said.
Serving was something Byrd is eternally grateful for. Growing up in East Los Angeles, “joining the service saved my life,” he said. “I was running around with gangs, getting into trouble. I’m happy I was in the service. It was the best thing to happen to me.”
Arles Demayo, in the Air Force from 1971-’ 99, said Veterans Day is a symbol “for all the veterans that have served throughout the years” and he comes out every year “to celebrate with other veterans in the community.”
Demayo said his military experience brings back fond and not so fond memories, “depending on the assignment and where you are. The camaraderie with comrades helped the time pass quick.”
Steve Bennett served in Vietnam from 1966-’67, enlisting Nov. 10, 1965.
“For years, I didn’t talk about it. I had what they call ‘ survivors guilt’ for many years,” Bennett said.
A cruise that included around 50 veterans changed Bennett’s mind.
“Guys from WWII … Korea … Vietnam … all shared stories. We were in the same boat,” Bennett said. “Now I’m chaplain for my post.”
While the veterans tolerated the late- morning chill Wednesday, they respectively listened to guest speaker, Ret. Capt. Ralph Ortolano, U.S. Navy.
Ortolano, senior naval sciences in instructor for the JRROTC program at Jesse Bethel High School, praised various veterans support groups and organizations.
COVID-19’s impact was apparent in the event’s attendance. Normally drawing about 100 people, around 50 attended — almost all were veterans.
“Standing here wearing masks, I think of people during WWI that went through the Spanish Flu epidemic that lasted until 1920,” Ortolano said. “The best anyone can figure is that it started in the trenches of the European Theater of WWI; conditions that were severe and a perfect petri dish for spreading of something like the flu.”
Acknowledging the decreasing numbers of veterans since the Cold War ended, Ortolano said that “the military has changed a lot since a lot of you served. One of the last duties I did was serving as the head of funeral honors detail for an admiral who passed away. Riding three or four hours in a Navy van with all my sailors … it was a long ride and the sailors engaged in a great deal of conversation. What do you think they were all talking about? Their pregnancies.”
“The military is a lot different today,” Orotano said.
Coordinated by American Legion Post 550, Wednesday’s ceremony included a presentation of colors by Cub Scout Pack 118 and invocation and benediction by Father Stephen Borlang.
Taps was performed by Michael Featherstone, American Legion Post 550.