Victorville’s 26th Annual Veterans Day Celebration: ‘Showing off our love of country’
Veteran Lee Rasmussen’s face was beaming with patriotic pride as American and POW flags were raised during the 26th Annual Veterans Day Celebration hosted by the city of Victorville.
“It’s an honor to be a veteran and an honor to serve the people of the United States of America,” said Rasmussen, a Lucerne Valley resident, who served in the Marine Corps and Army. “It’s also very emotional to see all these people coming out to pay tribute to our veterans.
The mid-morning event on Friday began with the traditional Freedom Mile Run down Seventh Street followed by the parade, which included marching bands, classic cars, floats and veterans who waved at the cheering crowd.
A few parade favorites included veterans from the local Tuskegee Airmen Chapter, the American Legion Auxiliary and those riding vintage military vehicles.
Also, the Victor Valley High School Air Force JROTC, the Adelanto Elementary School AYA Cheer Team, and the Granite Hills High School Mighty Cougar Regiment band and color guard.
"The parade and ceremony is just a wonderful way of showing off our love of country," Rasmussen said. "I'm thankful for the people that put this together."
Saluting veterans
Following the parade, Mayor Debra Jones welcomed veterans, their families, friends, and local leaders during the ceremony near the Victorville Veterans Memorial at the corner of Seventh Street and Forrest Avenue.
City leaders presented a Salute to Victorville Veterans, which included information about featured veterans whose photos appeared in the event program and a commemorative slideshow.
City Manager Keith Metzler, Mayor Jones, Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Irving and councilwomen Blanca Gomez and Elizabeth “Liz” Becerra shared tributes to veterans from World War II to the Post 9/11 Era.
City employees & veterans
A video was shown featuring seven city employees who shared their military stories. The employees included:
Navy veteran and Southern California Logistics Airport Director Eric Ray.
Navy veteran and Facilities Manager Eddie Gleason.
Army veteran and Fleet Supervisor Robby Bracelly.
Marine Corps veteran and Senior Maintenance Worker Caliph Leggett.
Air Force veteran and Risk Manager Lee Brown.
Navy Veteran and Code Enforcement Officer II Joseph Medina.
Air Force veteran and Code Compliance Technician Sarah Bounds.
Brown decided to join the military when he was a freshman in high school
“Both my grandfathers served, my mother and my father served and my uncle served, and hopefully one of my kids will serve,” Brown said. “But that’s part of who I am and the values that my family instilled in me.”
Sharing her pride and love of her country, Bounds said one of the reasons that she enlisted was to pave the way for future leaders and to preserve our rights and freedoms.
Riverside Preparatory School’s California Cadet Corps, 380th BN conducted the raising of the flags and Victorville Sings Winner Jaylyn Sesma sang the national anthem and shared a musical tribute.
“What a beautiful day here in Victorville to honor our veterans,” Assemblyman Thurston “Smitty” Smith told the Daily Press. “This is the day that we thank our veterans for all the work they’ve done over the years to keep us safe.”
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Veterans Day celebration in Victorville an emotional tribute to heroes
