Remembering the veterans in 1947

JERRY PERSON

The rains have finally come to Huntington Beach and this reminds me

of the old saying, “Don’t rain on my parade.”

Next week, we would, in past years, be celebrating the day with a

parade down Main Street, dances, hotrod races and a football or

baseball game. Long after the armistice was signed in 1918 ending the

war to end all wars, we were still remembering all those men who

served and died during that bloody war.

When Nov. 11 came around in 1947, we were now remembering not only

those boys of World War I, but also the men and women who served in

the military during World War II.

Huntington Beach veteran Dalbert Burry was made general chairman

of that year’s Orange County Armistice Day celebration to be held

here in Huntington Beach. Burry pledged that the parade would surpass

by far our July 4 parade, which was a tall order and one that he

accomplished.

The 1947 celebration saw several firsts. It was the first time the

celebration would be sponsored as an all-Orange County celebration

and would include Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion

posts from all over the county. Another first was that the event was

now beginning to be referred to as a Veterans’ Day celebration, not

just an Armistice Day that commemorated the cessation of hostilities

in World War I.

A third first almost went unnoticed during the long parade as it

traveled along Main Street to the pier. This was a simple convertible

car, sponsored by the Huntington Beach Disabled American Veterans,

and decorated with red, white and blue bunting.

It was not the riders that made it so special, but the bunting on

the car.

Thirty-nine years earlier in 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt

sent our U.S. Navy on a round-the-world cruise to impress some of the

nations with a show of our naval strength and as a way to prevent

hostilities. Roosevelt had our battleships painted white and bunting

hung all over the ships when they entered foreign ports.

After one of these celebrations at a Chinese port, Roy Worley of

our Huntington Beach Disabled Veterans post gathered some of that

bunting as a souvenir.

For so many years it remained hidden away. After two world wars,

it again saw the light of day as it proudly recalled a far different

America that was just coming of age.

Long before the starting of this year’s celebration, many of our

local veterans were out selling “Forget Me Not” poppies and this

included several of our downtown businesses too.

It’s not surprising that the Squeeze-Inn (111 Main Street) contributed more than any of the other merchants. I’m sure beer and

wine consumption had noting to do with it.

Other businesses that contributed to the celebration included the

Golden Bear Cafe, the Pier Cafe, the 107 Club and Palm Liquor.

When the day arrived, the celebration began promptly at 11 a.m.

when Burry fired off a bomb to signal one minute of silence. After

that, the parade began on Main Street at Seventh Street.

Leading the procession were the two grand marshals -- Richard

Weinbert, a World War I veteran; and Leonard Steinbach, from World

War II. Both men were amputees from the Veterans’ Hospital at

Sawtelle.

Following the grand marshals were Major General L.E. Woods, Col.

Ridderhof and his aide, Capt. E.L. Smith from the Marine Corps. The

700 members of the El Toro First Marine Air Wing band followed them.

Coming up on the heels of the marine band were 120 members of the

St. Catherine’s Military Academy band from Anaheim and this was

followed by several units of the National Guard.

Included in the parade were several local high school bands,

including Anaheim, Brea Olinda, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove,

Newport, Orange and Placentia high schools. Of course no parade would

be complete without our own Huntington Beach High School band.

Along with the bands were many floats, scout troops and decorated

automobiles.

Once the last entry passed, it was time for the crowd to gather at

Lake Park for an old fashioned barbecue. More than 3,000 hungry

people were fed that day.

The crowd assembled over at Huntington High School’s stadium for a

day of high school football and a carnival. Six one-quarter games

were played with Valencia winning over Capistrano, 7-0; Santa Ana and

Huntington High tying at 0-0; Brea Olinda topping Garden Grove, 1-0;

and Fullerton swamped Newport Harbor, 7-0. Laguna won its game

against Tustin, 2-1, and Anaheim won over Orange, 6-0.

While this was taking place, Pat Flaherty won a three-lap hot rod

trophy dash against Jim Rathman over at Huntington Beach Speedway.

Roy Prosser and Colby Scroggins shared victories in the twin main

event.

In the evening, a street dance held by the pier, staged by Russ

Henry, and attracted a large crowd of dancers as was the grand ball

held in the pavilion.

This year of 2004, only the ghostly echoes of past

Armistice/Veteran Day celebrations on Main Street remain to remind us

of all those men and women who served and who died just so you could

remain free.

For once these people are forgotten, so is our freedom forgotten.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.