Glendale native killed in Iraq one of many fallen soldiers honored in city’s Memorial Day ceremony
Two representatives from the California State Honor Guard, with Troop 125 Boy Scouts saluting, present an American flag for folding at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Once folded, the flag will be presented to the Stifter family for their son, who was killed recently in Iraq.
Fallen soldiers from Glendale and all over the country throughout history were remembered in front of City Hall on Monday during an annual Memorial Day ceremony.
It was the 20th anniversary of the event, where local officials and residents gathered by the memorial that bears the engraved names of veterans from Glendale who died in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the War on Terror.
Mayor Paula Devine was the first to speak before the crowd of 200 people by saying she still wears the dog tag of her uncle, an Army soldier killed in Japan during World War II.
She said the day was for honoring the men and women who may no longer be beside us, but gave their lives in the name of liberty and freedom.
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Two representatives from the California State Honor Guard, with Troop 125 Boy Scouts saluting, present an American Flag for folding at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Once folded, the flag will be presented to the Stifter family for their son who was killed recently in Iraq, the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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A representative with the California Stage Honor Guard salutes Fred and Regina Stifter, the parents of Joseph Stifter, at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Joseph Stifter was killed recently in Iraq, and was the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff speaks at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Los Angeles County Supervisor turns to salute the flag at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Troop 125 Boy Scouts stand at attention and salute during the folding of the Flag at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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A representative with the California Stage Honor Guard presents a folded American Flag to the Fred and Regina Stifter, the parents of Joseph Stifter, at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Joseph Stifter was killed recently in Iraq, and was the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Attendees watch the presentation of the folding of the Flag at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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A Glendale Police Department cadet turns to place a rose at the foot of the Korean War memorial at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale Police Chief Robert Castro speaks during his keynote address at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale City Councilwoman Laura Friedman holds the hands of Regina Stifter at the conclusion of the Memorial Day ceremony Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Regina Stifter is the mother of Joseph Stifter who was killed recently in Iraq, and was the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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A portrait of Joseph Stifter at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Joseph Stifter was killed recently in Iraq, and was the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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A representative with the California State Honor Guard folds an American Flag at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Once folded, the flag will be presented to the Stifter family for their son who was killed recently in Iraq, the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Lee Bartoletti, of Glendale, shakes the hand of Fred Stifter, at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Fred Stifter’s son Joseph Stifter was killed recently in Iraq, and was the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Matthew Ian Welch, of Glendale, and Abram Poliakoff, of Mt. Washington, sing a duet at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich addresses the audience at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Attendees at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale Police Department Deptuy Chief Carl Povilaitis welcomes the audience to the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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A man sits at the back corner of the audience, alone, at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. Retired Glendale Fire Chief Don Biggs mentioned the symbolism of the empty chairs as a message to Glendale there is a lot more room for many to attend. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Two planes, of a squadron of four, fly overhead at the end of the Memorial Day ceremony at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Lee Bartoletti, of Glendale, shakes the hand of John Stifter, at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. John Stifter is the older brother of Joseph Stifter who was killed recently in Iraq, and was the last name added to the war memorial. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Retired Navy veteran Phil Kazanjian takes a walk up and down North Isabel Street at the end of the Memorial Day ceremony at the Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial outside Glendale City Hall on Monday, May 30, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
“Regardless of military branch or rank or designation, they all demonstrated an unflinching commitment to ensure a more prosperous future for generations of Americans,” Devine said. “Their selfless acts of bravery continue to shape this country and to preserve our freedom every day.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) addressed the family of the latest veteran to have their name chiseled onto the wall: Army Sgt. Joseph Stifter. The 30-year-old Glendale native was killed in an armored-vehicle rollover accident while serving in Iraq.
In his role on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Schiff said he hears about the horrors of combat and the dangerous environment in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
He also said Memorial Day takes on a whole new meaning when it is a family member who dies.
“Today, we try to come to grips on the enormity of the loss for [the Stifter family] and this community where Joseph grew up, and we realize that there are other families in our community that have gone through similar Memorial Days,” Schiff said.
During the ceremony, an American flag that hung outside the nation’s capital was folded and given to Stifter’s family.
Stifter’s father, Fred, echoed Schiff’s sentiments when it came to talking about how the holiday has changed for his family.
“Memorial Day, since Joseph’s death, has changed. It has put a brand-new meaning on this day … We’re very appreciative that the city has recognized him and that so many people showed up not only for Joe, but for everyone who has given their lives, the ultimate sacrifice for their country,” Fred Stifter said.
Also in attendance was retired Army Sgt. Carol Miranda, a Glendale resident who’s been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. She presided over the presentation memorializing soldiers who were prisoners of war and missing in action.
The presentation included a display consisting of a small table with a white cloth, symbolizing the purity of a soldier’s motives, an inverted glass, because they can no longer be part of a toast, and a red rose.
“A single red rose reminds us of the families and comrades in arms who keep the faith awaiting [a soldier’s] return,” Miranda said.
Arin Mikailian was a city hall reporter for the Glendale News-Press. Aside from covering issues like development and the local impact of the drought, he also wrote about business and features. A Glendale native, he graduated from the University of Southern California.
