Politics & Government
El Toro Memorial Park Honors Veterans
Friday ceremony draws veterans from multiple wars.
Jackie Voelkl, a veteran of the Women’s Army Corps of WWII, has been commemorating Veterans Day in Lake Forest for more than 10 years, “a long time” she said with a laugh on Friday.
Jackie and her son, Jim, arrived at on Friday to honor all who have served.
“My favorite part of the ceremony is when the individual veterans from different wars can get recognized for their separate duties,” said Jim Voelkl.
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Friday marked El Toro Memorial Park’s 23rd annual observance of Veterans Day, with a program that included vocalist John Huntington and patriotic music performed by the Color Guard.
Christopher McCullough Sr., a Vietnam veteran who served from 1960 to 1984, said: “You’re celebrating the life of a veteran who went to war, and [for those of us who] are still alive, we have the chance to help kids today understand. When you believe in your country, you fight for your country.”
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Veterans in the audience were called to stand for the wars that they fought in, including survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Korean War and more. The audience applauded each group.
John Olivus wore a jacket commemorating his participation in WWII. His “adopted” granddaughter, Kathleen Davidson, sat beside him in her current role of caretaker after a lifetime of living next door as a neighbor.
Olivus joined the Army at age 18, serving for six years. Now 92, he has been coming to celebrate Veterans Day for more than 20 years, and the memories are as fresh as ever.
“After the bombs had been dropped on Pearl Harbor, my [commanding officer] said, ‘John, go check on the Navy. They’ve been hit,' ” said Olivus. “I went over to the site of the bombs, and ... there were a lot of men lying in the water. That’s why my mother was so afraid of me joining the Navy.”
On Friday, a moment of silence was held for those who have fought, and are still fighting, for the nation.
“I have a real affinity for these events,” said Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Garden Grove, a speaker at the event. “It’s a great way to honor our veterans. They are the greatest generation.”
