More than 100 veterans and family members attended The Islander’s fifth annual veterans celebration Nov. 10 outdoors at the Anna Maria Island Veterans Memorial at Holmes Beach City Hall.
The event honors veterans of the U.S. armed services and World War II and Korean War allies, particularly those whose stories appeared in the newspaper’s Greatest Generation and Forgotten Generation columns.
An honor guard from Kirby Stewart American Legion Post 24 on 75th Street in Bradenton presented the colors, the 21-gun salute and a bugler played taps at the conclusion of the event.
Islander publisher Bonner Joy was the master of ceremonies and introduced WWII and Korean War U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ralph Bassett, and Islander reporter Rick Catlin, who writes the columns.
Bassett spoke of fighting with his squadron in Korea and the sacrifice of his squad leader, who was killed attacking a Chinese gun crew by himself. The Chinese had Bassett’s squad surrounded, but the squad leader’s action allowed Bassett and the other squad members to successfully overwhelm the Chinese and return to their unit.
Catlin noted that the fraternity of veterans who fought in WWII and Korea grows smaller every year.
He spoke of his interviews with veterans, noting that no veteran ever claimed to have been a hero. Rather, he said, the veterans have often said, “The heroes are still over there.”
Several veterans were introduced to the audience, including “Doc” Oscar Walker of Holmes Beach, who, at age 91, was the oldest veteran in attendance.
Catlin also recognized Mark Alonso of Anna Maria.
Alonso, a child refugee from Spain sent to Britain at the start of WWII in Europe, joined the British Merchant Marine, sailed to America in 1943, and promptly jumped ship upon arrival. He found the nearest draft board, volunteered for military service and was immediately accepted. He had no papers, documentation or identification, but he knew he wanted to be a U.S. soldier.
Catlin, a U.S. Army veteran, thanked all the veterans for their service and particularly those who have contributed to his columns, which tell the stories of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
He then told the story of the 77 U.S. Army and Navy nurses imprisoned in Manila by the Japanese during WWII.
When a U.S. Army tank and combat team liberated the prison camp in February 1945, the nurses and the 3,000 civilian prisoners cried at the sight of the American soldiers who had come to rescue them. Without prompting, they sang “God Bless America” as a tribute that their country and its soldiers had not forgotten them.
He concluded by leading the audience in singing “God Bless America.”
Just a note of thanks to Rick Catlin and the Islander for the articles highlighting our Island Vets and sponsoring the annual memorial in Holmes Beach. Keep up the good work. I visited the moving Vietnam wall memorial in GA on my way down for the winter last month. I was impressed with their on-location research capabilities. Maybe the Islander could suggest the “wall” come here for a few days during the winter season. Just a thought.