Paying tribute to lives lost

Andrew Edwards

Some veterans wore old combat medals on their shirts. Almost all of

them donned military-style caps lined with pins and patches. The

assortment of emblems included Purple Hearts, patches showing which

branch of the military someone served in and American Legion logos.

But veterans and their families did not assemble to reminisce on

their lives and tell old stories, they met to pay tribute to their

comrades who did not make it home from distant battlefields as part

of a Memorial Day celebration.

“Anytime we can remember those who give us our freedoms, we should

take the opportunity to do so,” American Legion member Jim Ghormley

said.

To celebrate Memorial Day in Huntington Beach, veterans and the

community honored those who have fallen in combat at a ceremony in

front of the city’s war memorial near City Hall. The memorial bears

the names of Huntington Beach residents who died in World Wars I and

II, the Korean War and Vietnam War.

“I often stop to ... read the names, and reflect on their

sacrifice,” Mayor Cathy Green said.

The theme of the ceremony was “Lest We Forget Our Heroes of All

Wars,” and veterans and officials spoke on the importance of

remembering those who gave their lives.

County Supervisor Jim Silva told the story of Marine Corps Lance

Cpl. Kenneth Worley, who earned the Medal of Honor posthumously after

he dove onto a grenade in Vietnam, saving the lives of other Marines.

At the end of his remarks, Silva asked the audience to speak so

Worley’s name would not be forgotten.

“We remember Cpl. Worley,” the audience said.

Another speaker, Veterans of Foreign Wars member Cecil Birbaum,

tried to capture the scope of war’s cost by reading figures of the

amount of Americans killed or wounded in four different wars.

“We are gathered here today to remember the cost of our being able

to gather here today,” he said.

In World War I, that number was 116,516. In World War II, 405,399

were killed or wounded. For Korea and Vietnam, the numbers are 36,516

and 58,198, respectively.

The ultimate fate of many thousands more is still officially

unknown.

“Let us not forget that some 92,000 are listed as missing in

action,” Birbaum said.

The American flag flew at half-staff during the ceremony,

accompanied by the black banner flown in remembrance of prisoners of

war and the missing.

After a rifle volley was fired -- the guns were authentic M-1

Garands carried during World War II -- “Taps” was played and the flag

was raised to full mast at noon. Two Police Department helicopters

flew over City Hall, and bagpiper Andy Scott played “Amazing Grace.”