Veterans Day events say ‘thank you’ to Bay Area vets

Whenever Staff Sgt. Leidemar Pescador takes part in a Veterans Day ceremony, she feels butterflies in her stomach.

“That’s because it means something,” said Pescador, a member of the honor guard from the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard that posted the colors Wednesday at a celebration at Hellyer Park in San Jose. There, dozens of veterans — including many who survived the Vietnam War — came together for tacos, cake and conversation.

“It’s an honor because they opened the path for us to be here,” she said. “Without their sacrifice and their willingness to serve, we wouldn’t have the freedom that we have.”

Her feeling of gratitude is undoubtedly shared by the thousands of people expected at Veterans Day celebrations throughout the Bay Area on Thursday, from a ceremony and wreath toss at the USS Hornet museum in Alameda to the downtown parade in San Jose now in its 103rd year. After a tumultuous year with COVID-19 muting most celebrations last November, organizers are hoping that crowds come out in droves to show their appreciation.

“It’s important not only for the veterans who have served but for the ones who will come after them and bear the brunt of protecting this nation,” said Raymond Watts, president of the United Veterans Council of Santa Clara County, which sponsors San Jose’s annual downtown parade that kicks off from SAP Center at noon. “Not to oversimplify the phrase, but ‘never forget.’ It’s heartfelt appreciation for the 1% who serve, their sacrifices and the challenges they may still be struggling with.”

Watts and others are quick to point out that Veterans Day is meant to be a celebration and not a solemn event like Memorial Day in May. The holiday — originally known as Armistice Day — was borne out of the celebrations of the Nov. 11, 1918, cease fire that ended World War I. In 1954, it was renamed Veterans Day to also honor the millions who fought in World War II and Korea. Today, that group includes those who served during the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and in Afghanistan, as well as countless men and women who wore the uniform but never saw combat.

That appreciation is not lost on Vietnam War veterans Yuet Wong and Don Rancour, who were both at the event Wednesday held by Santa Clara County’s Office of Veterans Services, which provides resources for the estimated 55,000 veterans that live in the county. It is a long way from the days when Vietnam veterans were treated much differently.

“I think it’s much better — especially for Vietnam veterans,” said Rancour, a graduate of Westmont High in Campbell who served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1967 until Christmas Day 1969. Back then, services that help veterans navigate the VA system or deal with post-traumatic stress disorder weren’t exactly robust. “If there was something wrong, you might not know,” Rancour said. “You just wanted to get home.”

Wong, who also served from 1967-69, said he would look forward to marching every year with the San Jose Vet Center in the city’s parade but was disappointed to learn the service center wasn’t going to take part in this year’s event because of COVID-19 concerns. “It would be great because we would hand out flags to the crowds,” said Wong, who graduated from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo after his service and went into engineering. “We would have a bunch of cars and a couple hundred veterans. Hopefully, next year we’ll be there again.”