Military veterans at Chula Vista’s Veterans home will remember the servicemen they served with on Memorial Day just like they do every day.
The federal holiday is supposed to be spent honoring those who died on active duty defending their country.
But 96-year-old Army veteran Alban Reid thinks the country has gotten away from the annual day of remembrance.
“We’ve kind of lost track of the meaning,” Reid said. “I wish more people would remember what Memorial Day is. Some people grew up thinking Memorial Day was just another holiday, another day off, and that’s kind of sad.”
Reid, originally from Philadelphia, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1940 and spent time with the 36th Infantry Division while serving in Trinidad, North Africa, Italy, France, Germany and Austria.
Reid fought in World War II and served in Korea and Vietnam.
Reid said he remembers the days when cities would put on parades on Memorial Day and citizens would line the street holding the American flag.
Robert Gordinier, 75, was a serviceman in the U.S. Navy stationed in the Pacific. His job in the Navy was to be a photographer.
During his time on the ship, he said, he witnessed six different pilots lose their lives flying off the ship.
“Those six pilots are the true American heroes,” he said. “Not me, all I did was take photos.”
Gordinier agrees with Reid that Memorial Day is not once what it used to be. Gordinier said schools no longer teach the importance of the day.
“I don’t think school teach the importance of Memorial Day anymore,” he said. “There is just too much focus on other things in history that Memorial Day is forgotten.”
He also said America is just not as patriotic as it once was.
Peter Testart,76, believes the reason the country is lost on the meaning of Memorial Day is because church is no longer a priority.
“Parents have to go to church, no church, no Memorial Day,’” he said. “Because the church teaches us how to deal with our mortality.”
Testart, originally from Canada, never saw combat while in the Army because of an injury he sustained during a training exercise.
But his value came at whatever the commander needed him to do, he did.
Testart said Memorial Day to him will be just like any other day where he thinks about those who were not as fortunate as him making home.
“Memorial Day is a day to honor our heroic dead,” he said. “I don’t do anything special that day except go to church service.”
In front of the VA Home there is a rose bush planted on Memorial Day 2010. Around the rose bush are names of deceased veterans.
