SLO honors service members at Veterans Day event: ‘Your sacrifice will not be in vain’
About 150 people gathered in San Luis Obispo on Monday morning to honor past and present military service members this Veterans Day.
The Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum and American Legion Post No. 66 held a ceremony and celebration at the Veterans Memorial Building.
Several service members from different eras were honored and given a standing ovation, including a nearly 99-year-old World War II veteran, Kenneth Craig, who served in the Navy as a radioman on a tug boat in the South Pacific from 1944-45.
Two other World War II Navy veterans were also honored, Donald Rauch and John Morrison, as well several others from later wars:
- Cecil Daly, Navy, Korean War
- Robert Barrios, Army and Air Force, Korean War
- David Glidden, Army, Vietnam War
- Nora O’Donnell, Navy, Gulf War era
- Bobby Ramos, Army, Gulf War
- Atoosa Boyd, Army, Afghanistan War
During a speech, South Korean Consul Junghee Mun acknowledged the efforts of of U.S. veterans who served in the Korean War, which has often been called the “Forgotten War” after other conflicts garnered more attention.
“The Korean people continue to demonstrate that your sacrifice will not be in vain,” he said. “The war and your service will never be forgotten.”
The event featured a performance by the San Luis Obispo County Band with the Morro Bay White Caps, along with a free community barbecue lunch, which included a tri-tip sandwich, chips, potato salad, beans and dessert.
The family-friendly celebration also included military vehicles, a craft table for children, a bounce house and games.
Members of the public were also offered free admission and tours of the museum.
Its current exhibit focuses on military efforts in the Pacific, according to the museum website.
