Placentia makes more room to honor its vets and active-duty military
By Orange County on November 11, 2019
Placentia celebrated Veterans Day with the unveiling of an expansion to its memorial honoring the military service and sacrifice of those who have lived or been educated in town.
The $20,000 expansion to the monument in the Civic Center plaza not only added more room for names to be etched in the black granite stones, but it also allowed for those previously listed on the back to be moved to where they are now facing front.
The newly expanded Veterans Monument was unveiled during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
World War II veteran Fred Visconti stands next to some of the city’s military banners during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. Visconti was in the 11th Airborne Division of the Army during WWII, then served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Pat Alvarez reacts after seeing her best friend’s husband’s name on the expanded Veterans Monument during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
World War II veteran Fred Visconti salutes during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. Visconti was in the 11th Airborne Division of the Army during WWII, then served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
World War II veteran Reynaldo Reyes finds his cousins name on the expanded veterans monument at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. Reyes was an Army Staff Sergeant Bushmaster in the Philippines during the war. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
World War II veteran Fred Visconti, left, and Air Force veteran Ronald Culler salute during taps at the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. Visconti was in the 11th Airborne Division of the Army during WWII, then served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War. Culler was an Air Force intelligence officer. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mayor Craig S. Smith with councilmembers Jeremy B. Yamaguchi and Ward L. Smith unveil the Veterans Monument during the 29th Placentia Veterans Day Observance Ceremony held at the Placentia Civic Center on Saturday, November 11, 2017. (Photo by Frank DAmato, Contributing Photographer)
Jessica Schlenz directs the Tuffree Vocal Ensemble and attendees in song during the 29th Placentia Veterans Day Observance Ceremony held at the Placentia Civic Center on Saturday, November 11, 2017. (Photo by Frank DAmato, Contributing Photographer)
Veterans, left, Gilbert Hernandez, Airforce, Korean War, Ray Chavez, Army Airborne, Vietnam War and Tony Hernandez, Airforce, Korean War during the 29th Placentia Veterans Day Observance Ceremony held at the Placentia Civic Center on Saturday, November 11, 2017. (Photo by Frank DAmato, Contributing Photographer)
Mayor Rhonda Shader prepares to address visitors to the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Stephanie Duff, left, joins other members of the Tuffree Vocal Ensemble as they sine Battle Hymn of the Republic during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado High School senior Mia Mimum address visitors to the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The city’s military banners are on display during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Jo-Anne Martin delivers the keynote speech during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. Martin was the first female graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons (Top Gun) School. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Placentia police detective Beau Wagoner salutes the U.S. Flag after posting the colors during the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony at city hall in Placentia, CA, on Monday, Nov 11, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
“We kind of wanted to make a statement: None of our honorees deserved to be on the back side of the monument,” said Capt. Brad Butts, the Police Department’s liaison to the city’s Veterans Advisory Committee.
Now six large stones form a semi-circle around the existing monument – four of the stones are about half full with names and two remain blank.
“We can go 50 years on our new monument and not run out of space,” Butts said. “It looks beautiful.”
The expansion to the monument – originally installed in 1994 – was paid for through donations.
Six new honorees were added for this year’s Veterans Day ceremony.
The city also unveiled eight new banners that will join the 19 that are posted on light poles along Kraemer Boulevard.
The banner recognition program is a year old and is open to nomination of active-duty members who live in Placentia or have an immediate family member who lives in town, such as a parent or grandparent.
Find out more about submitting names for the banner program or monument at placentia.org.
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