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Sonoma County honors veterans
Cub Scouts fold the lowered flag as American Legion Post 21 and Cub Scout Pack 134 conducted a sunrise flag ceremony at Juilliard Park in Santa Rosa honoring Veterans Day November 11, 2009.
MARK ARONOFF/ PDPublished: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 8:07 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 8:07 a.m.
As the flag-carrying uniformed Salvation Army contingent walked along the Petaluma Veterans Day parade route Wednesday, one of its members stopped to reach out to a stranger standing on the sidewalk.
"Thank you for your service," he said, cupping the older man's hand in his, before rejoining his troop.
Korean War veteran Darrell Lee, 76, of Petaluma smiled after him and watched the parade continue its march past him.
It was rewarding to hear that, he said.
"Dad gets emotional," said his son, Jerry, putting an arm around his father's shoulders.
The public recognition of armed forces veterans seemed particularly poig-nant this year in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at the Fort Hood Army post at the hands of a major who served as a psychiatrist to veterans.
An Air Force auto mechanic for 22 years, Lee said he and his son talk a lot about the current war, eight years running.
"We've toppled Saddam Hussein and now we need to get out," Jerry Lee said, and his father agreed. "We hope we end it soon."
This year's parade was special also for 25-year-old Marine Corps vet Kyle Maxwell. Last year, his fiancee walked in the parade with his mother in recognition of his deployment to Iraq.
An infantryman, Maxwell said he served three tours of duty in Iraq, near Rawah, Ramadi and near the Syrian border. After five years of active duty, he's home now on inactive duty for another three.
"He's home, he's safe and I'm so happy," said his grandmother, Billie Welch.
"I'm overjoyed for that, but I really feel for those people still over there. It tears me up," she said, her hand patting her heart.
Wearing a shirt that says, "My grandson is a Marine Corps vet," Welch called out "we love you" to veterans in Wednesday's parade, the largest in the North Bay and the only one in Sonoma County.
"I usually don't do that," she said, but the killings at Fort Hood made this year more emotional.
The parade, Petaluma's 20th, was in danger of not happening after the city said it couldn't afford to fund it.
But two main donors -- developer Merlone Geier Partners and Friedman Brothers, both of whom have proposed building projects in Petaluma -- stepped in to donate the $12,500 needed to cover costs. The American Legion Post No. 2 organized the event.
"I'm really glad Friedman's put it on," Maxwell said. "It's a nice way to say thanks to veterans."
His fiancee, Kristina Caprara, was happy to be side-by-side with her betrothed this year.
"It's nice to enjoy it with him," she said. "They deserve a bit more than one day, but it's good to have it."
You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 762-7297 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.
As the flag-carrying uniformed Salvation Army contingent walked along the Petaluma Veterans Day parade route Wednesday, one of its members stopped to reach out to a stranger standing on the sidewalk.
"Thank you for your service," he said, cupping the older man's hand in his, before rejoining his troop.
Korean War veteran Darrell Lee, 76, of Petaluma smiled after him and watched the parade continue its march past him.
It was rewarding to hear that, he said.
"Dad gets emotional," said his son, Jerry, putting an arm around his father's shoulders.
The public recognition of armed forces veterans seemed particularly poig-nant this year in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at the Fort Hood Army post at the hands of a major who served as a psychiatrist to veterans.
An Air Force auto mechanic for 22 years, Lee said he and his son talk a lot about the current war, eight years running.
"We've toppled Saddam Hussein and now we need to get out," Jerry Lee said, and his father agreed. "We hope we end it soon."
This year's parade was special also for 25-year-old Marine Corps vet Kyle Maxwell. Last year, his fiancee walked in the parade with his mother in recognition of his deployment to Iraq.
An infantryman, Maxwell said he served three tours of duty in Iraq, near Rawah, Ramadi and near the Syrian border. After five years of active duty, he's home now on inactive duty for another three.
"He's home, he's safe and I'm so happy," said his grandmother, Billie Welch.
"I'm overjoyed for that, but I really feel for those people still over there. It tears me up," she said, her hand patting her heart.
Wearing a shirt that says, "My grandson is a Marine Corps vet," Welch called out "we love you" to veterans in Wednesday's parade, the largest in the North Bay and the only one in Sonoma County.
"I usually don't do that," she said, but the killings at Fort Hood made this year more emotional.
The parade, Petaluma's 20th, was in danger of not happening after the city said it couldn't afford to fund it.
But two main donors -- developer Merlone Geier Partners and Friedman Brothers, both of whom have proposed building projects in Petaluma -- stepped in to donate the $12,500 needed to cover costs. The American Legion Post No. 2 organized the event.
"I'm really glad Friedman's put it on," Maxwell said. "It's a nice way to say thanks to veterans."
His fiancee, Kristina Caprara, was happy to be side-by-side with her betrothed this year.
"It's nice to enjoy it with him," she said. "They deserve a bit more than one day, but it's good to have it."
You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 762-7297 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.
As the flag-carrying uniformed Salvation Army contingent walked along the Petaluma Veterans Day parade route Wednesday, one of its members stopped to reach out to a stranger standing on the sidewalk.
"Thank you for your service," he said, cupping the older man's hand in his, before rejoining his troop.
Korean War veteran Darrell Lee, 76, of Petaluma smiled after him and watched the parade continue its march past him.
It was rewarding to hear that, he said.
"Dad gets emotional," said his son, Jerry, putting an arm around his father's shoulders.
The public recognition of armed forces veterans seemed particularly poig-nant this year in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at the Fort Hood Army post at the hands of a major who served as a psychiatrist to veterans.
An Air Force auto mechanic for 22 years, Lee said he and his son talk a lot about the current war, eight years running.
"We've toppled Saddam Hussein and now we need to get out," Jerry Lee said, and his father agreed. "We hope we end it soon."
This year's parade was special also for 25-year-old Marine Corps vet Kyle Maxwell. Last year, his fiancee walked in the parade with his mother in recognition of his deployment to Iraq.
An infantryman, Maxwell said he served three tours of duty in Iraq, near Rawah, Ramadi and near the Syrian border. After five years of active duty, he's home now on inactive duty for another three.
"He's home, he's safe and I'm so happy," said his grandmother, Billie Welch.
"I'm overjoyed for that, but I really feel for those people still over there. It tears me up," she said, her hand patting her heart.
Wearing a shirt that says, "My grandson is a Marine Corps vet," Welch called out "we love you" to veterans in Wednesday's parade, the largest in the North Bay and the only one in Sonoma County.
"I usually don't do that," she said, but the killings at Fort Hood made this year more emotional.
The parade, Petaluma's 20th, was in danger of not happening after the city said it couldn't afford to fund it.
But two main donors -- developer Merlone Geier Partners and Friedman Brothers, both of whom have proposed building projects in Petaluma -- stepped in to donate the $12,500 needed to cover costs. The American Legion Post No. 2 organized the event.
"I'm really glad Friedman's put it on," Maxwell said. "It's a nice way to say thanks to veterans."
His fiancee, Kristina Caprara, was happy to be side-by-side with her betrothed this year.
"It's nice to enjoy it with him," she said. "They deserve a bit more than one day, but it's good to have it."
You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 762-7297 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.
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