Laguna Hills Watch Dog - Special MEMORIAL DAY HIGHLIGHTS Edition for May 30, 2011
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For those of you who attended the Laguna Hills Memorial Day Event at the Community Center this year there was something very special, a Memorial Day connection. This year the event was more than just a race and booths, it was forever changed. The City's Adopted 3/5 Marines, the Darkhorse Battalion from Camp Pendleton, had just returned from almost a year in a very remote area of Afghanistan, Sangin Province, where they lost 25 of their men in combat and suffered 170 wounded. Despite all that, these Marines volunteered to bring their equipment to display in this event and 16 of the 3/5 Marines ran the 1/2 marathon. To express their gratitude to the residents of Laguna Hills and nearby communities who have shown so much support for them and for their families, the 3/5 took this time to say thank you to our City and to honor their fellow Marines who lost their lives in Afghanistan.

The 3/5 Marine's static display at the event consisted of 2 hefty combat vehicles with gun turrets on the roofs, light machine guns, and backpacks packed with the 200 lbs. of weight they actually carry in combat. The enthusiasm from the community was infectious. Kids were competing with adults for the 2 swivel seats in the combat vehicles that controlled the gun turrets and experimenting with trying on the backpacks while attempting to stand and walk. The Marines were dressed in their desert camouflage gear and Cpl. Vincente was creatively painting amazing faces, reminiscent of the movie Avatar, with camouflage paint on children and adults eagerly waiting in line.

Gunnery Sergeant Stanley was answering questions about the 3/5's deployment in Afghanistan and how they adapted. Many try to avoid imagining the real horror of combat but how many of us have thought about the details of their everyday lives in Afghanistan? One shocker was learning that the Marines drank the water in Afghanistan as soon as they arrived and endured the resulting Dysentery to build an immunity to it. Cpl. Holsey explained they were often pinned down in combat, couldn't get supplies and had to drink water where they could find it, so building resistance ahead of time could save their lives. Sgt. Stanley talked about the feelings of severe isolation especially for young Marines who had never been away from home prior to enlisting and now had maybe only one contact a month with their families. The long lasting effects on the body of dehydration in the desert was another significant problem. All of that contributed to the reasons why the seemingly little things, like Valentine cards, simple treats, small convenience items, socks and encouragement from our community were very important to them.

One of the Marines who had run the 1/2 marathon was asked by a buddy how his foot was doing. He responded that it was really acting up during the 9th mile of the race but was feeling better now. I was foolish enough to say, "It was a good thing you got out of the race when you felt the pain so you wouldn't end up with a permanent injury" and the Marine responded, "Oh, no, I just stopped for a minute and stretched it out but I got back in and finished. It was just something from an injury I got awhile back and I'll get it looked at next week". I should have known better!

There was a lot of activity at the table under Team Dark Horse's (Laguna Hills' Marine Support Committee) red easy up tent that displayed their Mission Statement "To provide encouragement, relief, and comfort to the Marines/Sailors and their families." Very special thank yous go to the tireless volunteers manning that tent from very early AM and into the afternoon. They were Dick Nagle (his wife Mary ran the 5K), Bob Dickson, Jonathan Bromberg, Evan Gost, Amy Stromer, Judy Rigdon, Mickie Zettel and Gerry Zettle who took lots of wonderful photos, and our City Clerk Peggy Johns who donates so much of her time. Dee Dee McGann-Gollwitzer, who took that beautiful classic, and now famous glowing photo, of the 3/5 Marine banner hanging on the side of the Community Center, took many early morning professional photos of the Marines their families and the activities.

We spotted Mayor Pro-Tem Melody Carruth early in the morning. Council Member Randy Bressette was helping all morning and his wife Mav was the unofficial but very effectively entertaining Grandma for the day to several children of Marines who were participating in the event. Other very supportive members of the community were Carol and John Vellema, Eileen Moore, Dawn Deshefy who ran the 1/2 marathon and Jim Deshefy. More thank yous go to Teresa Bonutto and the amazingly energetic Teen Dark Horse group who created the huge and sparklingly attractive WELCOME sign for the Marines that hung on the Hills Hotel, plus more special signs, and large balloon displays. They also served breakfast for the Marine spouses and children. In return, the Marines created a dynamite camouflage face on Teresa! Karen Robbins arranged for extra special coverage of this event featuring the 3/5 Marines on local NBC TV News. Another special thanks goes to the Hills Hotel who donated so many rooms for the Marines.

Runner Humberto Rojas won the 1/2 marathon for adults and we learned that Allyson Trussell, who was getting her face artfully decorated with camouflage was the winner of the 1/2 marathon for females under 12. She said she was from Newhart Middle School in Mission Viejo and fresh off of a full marathon on May 1st. She told us she had been training since Sept. and wanted to run in the Laguna Hills event to benefit the 3/5 Marines because she has an Uncle in the Air Force who is the younger brother of her proud mom Guinevere Trussell. Ryan Mitchell said he came all the way from Chino to run in the event to support the 3/5 Marines because he heard about this at work.

After the Memorial Day Event at the Community Center there was another very special and well attended Memorial Day Event at Mandeville Park in Laguna Hills where Eagle Scout James Purington was having a ceremony to dedicate the monument he created to all those who served, sacrificed and died for our country. Lt. Col. Morris, a 1988 Eagle Scout, and the current Commanding Officer for the 3/5 Marines attended with his son as did Major Bobo with his family. James said he looked at parks all over the city and chose this spot for the wonderful unobstructed view of the hills of Aliso Viejo and the surrounding park landscape. James' Mom read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and noted that this holiday started as Decoration Day after the Civil War. The names of all of the 3/5 Marines killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010 were read allowed. James unveiled the memorial consisting of a large bronze plaque on a much larger natural boulder. On the bronze plaque were the words, "This memorial is dedicated to the men and women who served and fought for our freedom. As you admire the beautiful diverse terrain of Southern California, never forget that what makes this country strong are the courageous men and women who made this freedom possible. God Bless America."

Honor to soldiers and sailors everywhere whose bravery bears his country's cause - Abraham Lincoln

Speakers included Council Member Randy Bressette, and Lt. Col. Jason Morris who thanked James for memorializing those who served the nation and those from the 3/5 who lost their lives in Afghanistan and who deserve to still be remembered. He thanked Council Member Randy Bressette and Dark Horse Committee Chairman Mike Bland (also an Eagle Scout) and said they take great pride in their relationship with Laguna Hills. Council Member Bressette (Dad of an Eagle Scout) said he had seen a lot of Eagle Scout projects but this was especially meaningful as a lasting tribute to all the military and especially to our own 3/5. He then presented a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Laguna Hills to James Purington. Mike Bland thanked all the members of Team Dark Horse and Teen Dark Horse and the 3/5 Marines who were still in Afghanistan when this memorial service was being planned but immediately agreed to participate upon their return.

Another very special guest at this event was Ernest Schimmer, a Laguna Hills resident and a Navy Sailor in WW II. He served on the USS Kalinin Bay and participated in the battle of Leyte Gulf on Oct. 25, 1944. He enlisted when he was 18 years old, is now 85 and declared that he believes he owes his continued good health to playing Badminton continuously since the age of 11. The very interesting history of the USS Kalinin Bay including the battle of the Leyte Gulf can be seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Kalinin_Bay_(CVE-68)  Jean Bland