Veterans Day is usually filled with celebrations and parades honoring veterans across the country, but here in San Diego, one group of veterans took their dedication further and set up a memorial.
The Veterans for Peace, Inc., organized the Arlington West Memorial in Tuna Park near the USS Midway Museum Nov. 11 through 13.
“The military is a very honorable profession,” said Jan Ruhman, who organized the memorial. “We’ve had Marines deployed to a conflict every four and a half years, for the past one hundred twelve years. I don’t think the media gives enough attention to it, and a bumper sticker on the back of a car just isn’t enough. We have to realize how many people have sacrificed toward our freedom.”
The memorial had thousands of seven-inch crosses, stars and religious symbols displayed in the grass, which represented the number of service members lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Each cross or symbol had a small American flag next to it, and many had electric candles as well. Members of the organization fed more than 200 homeless veterans in the local area and sat in front of the memorial from dusk until dawn each night to answer questions about the crosses. The group consisted of World War II, Korean, Vietnam and Iraq veterans.
The organization began the memorial in 2003 and based it on Arlington National Cemetery in Washington.
Serdar Durdymamedov, a San Diego native who visited the memorial, said he enjoyed seeing the crosses. The memorial is a good representation of veterans and fallen service members.
“It’s a healing memorial,” said Ruhman. “The crowd response is always tremendous. People bring pictures of lost loved ones to place on the crosses; they pass by and take pictures of the crosses and they take time to reflect on them. I’ve seen Marines come here and start crying.”
Most people understand how much money a war costs, but they never realize how many lives it costs as well, explained retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dave Gapp, another organizer of the memorial.
“This memorial honors all veterans who served in all wars,” said Ruhman. “Each one of these crosses was a life, with a family. People should realize what a large amount of families are affected.”
Everyone celebrates Veterans Day in different ways, but near the USS Midway in Tuna Park, the Veterans of Peace, Inc., remember all who have been lost, and those who are still here.
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