Names of fallen military members honored in Long Beach
The names of thousands of fallen American heroes were honored at a Long Beach park in honor of Memorial Day early Monday morning.
Dozens of people gathered at Rosie Riveter Park on Clark Avenue for the ceremony held at Honoring Our Fallen Memorial wall.
"As the sun rises on Memorial Day this year, together with Gold Star Families, local active-duty military, law enforcement, first responders and veterans, we will begin reading the names of our American heroes who have fallen in combat post 9/11 as reported by US Central Command," the organizing company, Honoring Our Fallen, detailed in a statement.
The event began at 5:30 a.m., and was started by a bagpipe tribute as the sun rose.
Expected to last until around 1 p.m. Monday afternoon, the event also featured representatives that included active-duty military members, law enforcement officials, first responders and veterans who took turns reading a portion of the more than 7,000 names of fallen service members.
CBS reporter Kara Finnstrom spoke with Laura Herzog, one of the event's organizers prior to the event.
"It was important to me to start this as the suns rising," Herzog said. "We all get to gather with our loved ones, our families, our friends, and have a barbecue, have a picnic and celebrate the beginning of summer and so forth. But, it's an important day for us to remember those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for us to be able to do so."
Family members of those fallen heroes were given special pieces of rice paper and charcoal, which they were invited to use for rubbings of the names etched onto the wall to take with them.
"The most important thing to remember is that behind every name, there's a face, there's a family," Herzog continued.
The Honoring Our Fallen Memorial wall project broke ground on Memorial Day in 2015, and was completed exactly one year later. The wall features the names of more than 7,000 military members who have died in combat post 9/11/2001, including plates to service members who died in training exercises or humanitarian efforts.
CBS reporter Kara Finnstrom joined those in attendance Monday morning, speaking with several families of fallen heroes being honored at the ceremony.
"I hate the fact that his name has to be announced, because that reminds me he is no longer here," said Lupita Garcia, whose son, 21-year-old Lance Corporal Marco Andy Barranco, was killed in July 2020 in the amphibious assault vehicle training accident off the coast of San Clemente island. "It's a nightmare still, for us."
Barranco was onboard the vehicle with 19-year-old Private First Class Evan Bath, whose mother was also in attendance with Garcia.
"I always walk up to things like the wall and caress the name, because you don't get to caress their face any longer," said Bath's mother, Aleta, who detailed that Memorial Day was also her son's birthday. "From about 10-years-old he decided to be a Marine. There was nothing else for him."
Bath and Garcia have spent countless time together in the wake of the tragic accident which stole both of their sons.
"For me, in Wisconsin, most of the time they don't do anything. So I come here," Bath said.
"We want people to know they made the ultimate sacrifice," Garcia concluded.
Herzog also noted that efforts were underway to add plates for World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War members killed in the line of duty.
