Page 2 - Aerotech News and Review, June 11, 2021

PALMDALE, from 1
a black suit stepped forward to deliver the key-
note speech for the Memorial Day Observance Reader’s
of 2021.
Ron Reyes spoke from the seldom expressed
perspective of a generationally removed non- Services
combatant war survivor whose only decoration
is a small Gold Star window flag given to families How to contact
of American military personnel killed in combat. Aerotech News and Review
“Gold Star Son” Ron Reyes was born a week • E-Mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
after his father, Ronald Reyes, celebrated his 19th • Phone: (661) 945-5634
birthday while serving in South Vietnam with the • Fax: (661) 723-7757
1st Battalion, 9th Marines. Father and son never • Website: www.aerotechnews.com
met. Infant Ron was just a month old on March
30, 1968 when his dad was killed by a direct hit
from a mortar shell in the Tet Offensive battle of Advertising
Khe Sanh. Corporate Headquarters:
Scars young Ron carried through his childhood, (877) 247-9288
teens and even into earlier adult years were invis- Email: sbueltel@aerotechnews.com
ible. Ron recalled a lonely struggle to understand
and come to grips with his grief. At last, he vis- Subscriber Services
ited the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall replica Subscriptions to Aerotech News
built in Palmdale, and saw his father’s name on and Review are $59 for six
Panel 47E, Line 16. It was one of 58,000 names months or $89 for one year. For
of Americans killed in the Vietnam War. Spurred more information, contact the
by that knowledge, Reyes went on to discover he subscription department at:
was never alone. There were an estimated 20,000 Photographs by Evelyn Kristo (661) 945-5634
Marine Corp war veteran, Tony Tortolano, pays tribute to fallen soldiers during a Memorial Day
ceremony, at Poncitlan Square in Palmdale, Calif., May 21. The City of Palmdale hosted the morning
event honoring those who lost their lives while serving their country. Story ideas, letters, editorials
Please send all letters and editorials to
other Gold Star children in America. enemy forces in World War II, said he travelled to Stuart A. Ibberson, editor,
Ron Reyes said his visit to the portable Ante- Vietnam in the search for legacy, not just to see at editor@aerotechnews.com.
lope Valley Wall “was the catalyst to move me the country, “but to smell the air, see and feel the
forward — when you can turn trauma into joy.” red dirt and meet with the sons of the fathers of
He said he “met 700 of my Gold Star Brothers the North Vietnamese war dead.”
and Sisters.” He added, “Until 2015 I didn’t know Near the conclusion of the ceremonies, Veter- Web Site
what a Gold Star Family was.” ans of the War in Vietnam were asked to stand Access the Aerotech News web
He also drew pride in his father’s legacy as and be recognized by the audience numbering site at www.aerotechnews.com
a warrior for America by learning the history of about 125 to 150 persons. And in that moment, Submissions for upcoming events, air
the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. He told the audi- the Vietnam Veterans were recognized as being shows and museums
ence that his late father served with a unit tar- the most active and effective group to create posi- should be emailed to
geted for annihilation by communist leader Ho tive changes for not only individual veterans, but editor@aerotechnews.com.
Chi Minh, whose son was killed in a battle with for their families.
U.S. Marines. Ho called the battalion “The Walk- Even as it was acknowledged that veterans For questions concerning the web site,
ing Dead,” and the Marines took up the challenge, of the war in Vietnam War endured deplorable contact the webmaster at
adopting it as a motto. In the end, the battalion public indignities upon their return home, they webmaster@aerotechnews.com.
had 749 names of its Marines on the Vietnam Me- were praised for accomplishing something too
morial Wall, and recorded combat casualty rate long neglected:
Carl Hernandez with Palmdale American Legion of 93.3 percent, highest in Marine Corps history, Because of Vietnam Veterans, PTSD has a Where you can get
Post 348 performs taps during a Memorial Day and a record Reyes said remains unbroken, and name. Aerotech News and Review
ceremony at Poncitlan Square in Palmdale, hopefully never will be. “Thank you. Welcome home. Thank you for For information on
Calif., May 31. Reyes, whose grandfather was held prisoner by your service. And God Bless America.” Aerotech distribution, call
(661) 945-5634 or visit
www.aerotechnews.com/distribution.

Aerotech News and Review is published
every other Friday, serving the
aerospace and defense industry of
Southern California, Nevada and
Arizona. News and ad copy deadline
is noon on the Tuesday prior to
publication. The publisher assumes no
responsibility for error in ads other
than space used. Your comments are
welcomed and encouraged. Write to
the address below.

• Publisher ....................Paul Kinison
• Business Manager ....... Lisa Kinison
• Editor .................... Stuart Ibberson
• National Advertising
Manager .....................Paul Kinison

Aerotech News and Review
e-mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
Visit our web site at
www.aerotechnews.com
Members of the American Legion Riders, Post 348, fire a 21-Gun Salute honoring fallen soldiers, during a Memorial Day ceremony at Poncitlan
Square in Palmdale, Calif., May 31. Pictured from left are Chris Ponce, Rick Ruiz, Robert Aguilar, Joe Zeigler, Art Velador, Ralph Velador and Jeff
McGill. For more photographs from the event, visit www.aerotechnews.com.

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