Showing their colors

-- Jennifer K Mahal

War veterans showed their stars and stripes Saturday afternoon with a

short display at the intersection of 19th Street and Newport Boulevard.

About 15 uniformed veterans, mostly from World War II, marched at noon

in formation and saluted the flag. The rally, organized by Cornell

Iliescu of Costa Mesa, was intended to remind people of patriotism.

“We had a lot of response from the public. People would just go by and

honk their horns,” said Iliescu, who parked his World War II era jeep on

the corner. “It was just to show people that we shouldn’t forget what

happened to us.”

Iliescu, a survivor of the World War II bombing of Romania, said he

plans to organize more veterans to rally together at the same place and

time next weekend. November 11 is Veterans Day.