Fallen warriors are remembered at Miller Park

By BOB OTTO

Brenda Rivera-Warren softly etched her old classmates name on to the white 3-by-8 inch paper with charcoal. It's the third time she has come to visit James “Art” Jackson at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall.

“He was this red headed, freckle faced kid that everybody loved,” said Rivera-Warren of Corona. “He was in my graduating class of 1968 at Artesia High School. I went to visit him when The Wall was at the Riverside National Cemetery and when it was in San Jacinto.”

And last week, as soon as The Wall was erected at Miller Park in Fontana, Rivera-Warren once again paid her respects to the young man who gave his life in the Vietnam War. “Whenever it's in the area, I come to visit him,” she said.

Shortly after graduation, Jackson, like thousands of other young men, was shipped to South Vietnam to fight the war against communism that lasted from 1959 to 1975. Although 40 years have past, Jackson, along with 58,255 other casualties of the war, are honored each time The Moving Wall makes its tour across the country.

Family, friends, and veterans who survived the war flocked to The Wall in a five-day ceremony to honor those who gave their lives.

John Foltz, Willie Zamora, and Candelario Rodrigues are members of the Patriot Guard. Riding their motorcycles, they led the procession bringing The Wall to Fontana. It's a ritual they perform time and again, year after year.

“It's awesome and means a lot to us to do this,” said Zamora. “This isn't about the war but about the warrior.”

Joining the older veterans, such as Foltz, Zamora, and Rodrigues, was a young group of about 35 missionaries clad in bright yellow T-shirts from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The 35 young people worked side-by-side with former Vietnam veterans, and volunteers assembling The Wall. In three hours, all 252.83 feet of 74 panels were erected for waiting visitors.

“We are very honored to be here,” said Melissa Rasmussen from Woods Cross, Utah. “This is an awesome experience.” With direction from a veteran crew of assemblers, the missionaries unloaded panels, carried them to the base foundation and helped attached them together.

Since 1998, Mike Kennedy, an Air Force veteran, has helped assemble The Wall when it's in traveling distance of his Fontana home. “I help at least a couple times a year,” said Kennedy as he steadied a panel that was being erected. “It's my way of honoring the people on The Wall, helping people experience it, and help them find names.”

After The Wall was erected, Joe Dean, Commander of American Legion Post 772, conducted opening ceremonies with dignitaries present from the city. Dean worked long and tirelessly, spearheading the drive to bring The Wall to Fontana. “It's been stressful, but it's all come together, and it looks good here in the (Miller) Park.”

City Councilmember Frank Scialdone paid tribute to the 14 Fontana men whose names are on The Wall. “This is an event long in the making,” said Scialdone. “We're here to honor all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. “I personally lost four friends - four of the 14 from Fontana.”

Scialdone then read off all 14 names to a hushed audience. “We will never forget our 14 and the 58,000 who paid the ultimate price,” he said.

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