Gilroy Remembers the Fallen

The morning was a calm grey when Raymond Valadez, commander of the American Legion Gilroy Post #217, took to the podium at Saint Mary Cemetery.

In two hours, Gilroy residents would be lined up shoulder to shoulder in the warm sunshine to watch the passing of the annual Memorial Day Parade.

But to the group of families, veterans and friends who had gathered, this solemn ceremony, held to honor local veterans who lost their lives in the line of duty, would be “the most important measure of the day.”

“Today is sacred for the almost-visible sacrifice of those who came before us,” said Valadez, the event's master of ceremonies.

Many in the group at the legion’s Memorial Day remembrance wore clothing signifying either a lost loved one or their own service in the armed forces. They were wives, husbands, grandparents and children, an all-age group united by their connection to a person who gave their life in service to their country.

One of those in attendance, Patty Gutierrez, came with her three young sons to honor the loss of her husband, David, in Afghanistan.

“It’s to remember him–that’s why we're here,” she said, with a large American flag flying near David’s resting place not far away.

Father Dan Derry of St. Mary Catholic Parish led the group in a prayer, asking that they also honor the veterans who have become disabled.

“These sacrifices have been made to provide us and the people of these countries with a greater sense of freedom,” said Derry.

The ceremony continued with the singing of the National Anthem, led by Ted Sanchez, and God Bless America by the Side-by-Siders. The Ladies Auxiliary Post laid a wreath at the site, and the Gilroy Police Department’s Stan Devlin performed Amazing Grace on bagpipes. 

“To me, this is the most important portion of the day’s festivities,” said Mayor Al Pinheiro, who spoke at the ceremony and asked that attendees recognize the families who remain after a loved one loses their life during service.

The parade’s grand marshal, Al Schmidt, is a chaplain of the city’s legion post and a veteran of the Korean War. In a speech, he noted how the modern notion of “war” has changed in an era of military “actions,” but the sacrifice made for the country continues. 

Nick Marquez read the names of local soldiers who had died in wars stretching back to World War I, and the VFW sounded a 21-gun salute just as the sun began shine through the heavy cloud cover.  The summery weather would continue throughout the day’s parade and celebration.

In the dispersing crowd, Gilroy Councilman Bob Dillon was greeting attendees. The councilman is a Vietnam veteran and served on the hospital ship, the USS Repose.

Dillon is known for his good humor, but his tone was somber when describing the significance of the ceremony.

“I have seven friends whose names are on the wall,” he said. “They never came home.”