SCV Veterans Memorial Committee Honors Veterans During Memorial Day Tribute

At Eternal Valley Memorial Park and Mortuary, hundreds gathered to honor the fallen men and women who served this country and to recognize the heroes who remain with us today.

The Santa Clarita Valley Veterans Memorial Committee decided to use the theme of “Women in the Military.”

Before the tribute began, the Saugus High School Choir sang the national anthem under the direction of Kaitlyn Pi. This was followed by a flyover by an F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet.

Saugus High School Choir. Steven Barrera | KHTS

Vietnam and U.S. Army veteran Jerry Rhodes shared some of the important roles women have played in the military far before they were soldiers.

U.S. Army veteran Jerry Rhodes. Steven Barrera

“Today, we honor women in the military. The 10,000 who served in Vietnam all volunteered to go there,” said Rhodes. “More than 7,000 were nurses and eight died in their service.”

Those eight nurses are 1st Lt. Hedwig Orlowski, 2nd Lt. Carol Drazba, 1st Lt. Sharon Lane, Capt. Mary Klinker, Capt. Eleanor Alexander, 2nd Lt. Elizabeth Jones, 2nd Lt. Pamela Donovan and LTC Annie Graham.

“Not all women who served in a combat zone were military; among those who volunteered to go to Vietnam were 627 Red Cross Donut Dollie,” said Rhodes. “Now, they really didn’t really make donuts like they did in World War II, but they went into a war zone to boost morale. They brought smiles and a touch of back home to the men in the field.”

Throughout the years, women in the military have played a number of roles, including nurses, donut dollies and soldiers.

Keynote speaker and U.S. Army Veteran Major Heidi Heinrick shared about the history of women in the military.

“In our nation’s infancy, in the days of our founding fathers, women were a lesser known but integral in our fight for independence,” said Heinrick.

During the first World War, women began to be officially attached to military units such as the Army Nurse Core.

During World War II, the number of women in the military grew to 350,000. In May 1942, Congress created the Women’s Auxiliary Army Core, giving women full military status in non-combative positions.

In the navy, women were given the same status as reservists through women being accepted as Voluntary emergency service, also known as Waves. Eventually, the Marines and Coast Guard would do the same.

One of those women was Santa Clarita resident Pvt Barbara “Bobby” Stone of the U.S. Marine Corps, who was in attendance.

Following a few remarks by Representative Mike Garcia, he honored Pvt Stone and U.S. Army veteran Fred Gruchalla.

Pvt Barbara “Bobby” Stone of the U.S. Marine Corps. Steven Barrera | KHTS

Pvt Barbara “Bobby” Stone of the U.S. Marine Corps and Mike Garcia. Steven Barrera | KHTS

U.S. Army veteran Fred Gruchalla. Steven Barrera | KHTS

Left to Right: Mike Garcia, Fred Gruchalla and Bob Kellar.

To wrap up the tribute to all those who served and paid the ultimate price, Freedom Way Church Pastor Jerry Cook gave a benediction praying for those who lost a loved one in the military. Cook also prayed for the well-being of those who have served and are currently serving in the military.

Before the dismissal, Santa Clarita Valley Veterans Memorial committee member Terrell Edwards led the crowd in the singing of God Bless America.

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