Page 3 - Aerotech News and Review, November 20, 2020

FLAGS, from 1
were placed at social distance while as law enforcement, firefighters, and alerted, and the rescue succeeded. But
others remained on their feet. frontline health care workers taking Air Force Staff Sgt. Douglas Eccleston
City of Palmdale Mayor Steve Hof- care of people during the pandemic. died in the line of duty that day, on his
bauer welcomed all the dignitaries and When the Los Angeles Sheriff’s De- first operational mission. His valor and
recognized Palmdale’s city manager, partment deputies who patrol in Palm- willingness to serve provided Murphy
J.J. Murphy, as a veteran himself, “an dale entered the field, there was a wave some of the motivation to develop a
Air Force major.” of applause. concept that would contribute to na-
Murphy approached the Palmdale “We wanted to do this to honor the tional unity and healing in divisive
City Council with the proposal of living, and the ones no longer with times.
2,020 flags on a large field to mark us,” Murphy said, realizing that he was He thanked the key sponsoring orga-
an inflection point in a year that has already tearing up one page into his nization, the Palmdale Auto Mall As-
been a challenge for everyone dealing speech. “We wanted to honor our law sociation, and he thanked community
with a still-unfolding pandemic, a bat- enforcement, and firefighters, and the newcomer Amazon, Palmdale. The on-
tered economy, and protests for social health care personnel who have done line retailer bought 100 flags in honor
justice in the wake of the killing of so much to save lives and protect us.” of the 16 Antelope Valley young men,
George Floyd at the hands of police in Murphy shared his story of work- and young woman, who have been
Minneapolis. ing in the Air Force Rescue Coordi- killed in the wars that erupted after the
Murphy proposed that the proceeds nation Center, recalling a mission he terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. They
from all the flags purchased be used to dispatched to retrieve a sea captain on also sponsored flags dedicated to the
fund veterans’ service groups — and a Panamanian-registered ship, who had “AV 76,” the 76 young men from the
that the flags themselves honor vet- taken seriously ill. The elite Air Force Antelope Valley who were killed in ac-
erans and active-duty troops, as well unit of rescue jumpers, “The PJs” were tion during the Vietnam War.
Rick Casper, an Iraq War veteran
and Army senior NCO, mounted the
stage, and asked the hundreds gathered
“to please remember the veterans.” To
the veterans he said, “Remember the
veteran. It’s our responsibility to take
care of each other.”
Casper, vice president of the Ante-
lope Valley Veterans Community Ac-
tion Coalition, said his group is work-
ing to establish a cluster of 10 homes
for veterans in transition.
The event’s keynote speaker was
Col. Jay Orson, commander of the
412th Electronic Warfare Group based
at Edwards AFB. Photographs by Evelyn Kristo
“When I was serving in Iraq, and Sadie Perry, age 23 months, of Lake Los Angeles, Calif., takes in a patriotic
Afghanistan, I always remembered field of red, white and blue during a Veterans Day ceremony, Nov. 11, 2020,
that even as I was serving, that all of at the Healing and Honor Field set up at Pelona Vista Park in Palmdale Calif.
us there stood on the shoulders of vet-
erans, the veterans who came before Flag sales went to support the op- 1 through Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
us,” he said. “I’m just an old colonel erations of local non-profits that in-
Carl Hernandez, vice commander of Palmdale American Legion Post 348 salutes near the end of the runway of my ca- cluded Vets 4 Veterans, Coffee4Vets, Editor’s note: Dennis Anderson is
as the colors are presented during a Veterans Day ceremony, Nov. 11, 2020, reer, and someday I will be one of the Point Man Antelope Valley, American a licensed clinical social worker at
at the Healing and Honor Field set up at Pelona Vista Park in Palmdale, Calif. veterans out there.” Legion Post 348 and VFW Post 3000. High Desert Medical Group. An Army
As the Blue Eagles Honor Guard of
Edwards AFB marched in and present- The fighter jets that zoomed over veteran, he traveled twice to cover the
ed the colors, a rousing performance the field as Air Force veteran Mayra Iraq War, embedded with an Antelope
of the National Anthem was belted Duarte led the crowd singing the “Wild Valley unit of the California National
out by saxophonist Herbie Kae. Fred Blue Yonder” were the “Skulls” of the Guard. He works on veterans and com-
Villa, chaplain of Veterans of Foreign 416th Flight Test Squadron. munity mental health initiatives.
Wars Post 3000, delivered the invoca- “I couldn’t have timed that one bet-
tion, and Carl Hernandez of American ter for the Air Force song, could I?”
Legion Post 348 recited his poem, Murphy said.
“Thank You for Your Service.” The flags flew on the field from Nov.

Members of the the Edwards Air Force
Base, Calif., Blue Eagles Color Guard
present the colors during a Veterans
Day ceremony at the Healing and
Honor Field set up at Pelona Vista
Park in Palmdale, Calif., Nov. 11, 2020.

For more photographs

F-16s from the 416th Flight Test Squadron “Skulls” at Edwards Air Force Base, Members of the Antelope Valley Patriot Crusaders motorcycle honor guard of the Veterans Day
Calif., fly over during a Veterans Day ceremony, Nov. 11, 2020, at the Healing attend a Veterans Day ceremony, Nov. 11, 2020, at the Healing and Honor ceremony, visit
and Honor Field set up at Pelona Vista Park in Palmdale, Calif. Field set up at Pelona Vista Park in Palmdale, Calif.
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