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Korean War vets will be honored
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Ventura County residents who served in the Korean War will be honored at a memorial Saturday in Santa Paula commemorating the 55th anniversary of the war's end.
The names of those killed in action will be read in a roll call, and all veterans who served from 1950 to 1953 will be remembered with the laying of wreaths.
"We still think of it as the forgotten war," said Richard Ruiz, 77, who served more than two years in Japan as a U.S. Army cryptographer. "We want to make sure the public is well aware of it, because people tend to think of World War I, World War II and then jump to Vietnam." Ruiz, who lives in Santa Paula, is a member of the Korean War Veterans Association, which is organizing the ceremony at Santa Paula's Veterans Memorial Park, at South 10th and Ventura streets.
According to Ruiz, 31 military personnel from Ventura County were killed in action during the Korean War.
The county chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association was established in 1997 and began conducting ceremonies five or six years ago, members said.
County Supervisor Kathy Long and Santa Paula Mayor Robert Gonzales will lay wreaths during Saturday's ceremony. It is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and will end with a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps.
"Anyone who wants to lay a wreath in memory of a loved one who was either killed in action or who served in the war and is no longer with us is welcome to do so," said Ruiz.
Twenty people have contacted the association saying they plan to do that, and more are welcome, he said.
Following the ceremony, the Korean War veterans will hold a barbecue beginning at noon. Tickets are $15, and all profits will go to the association.
For more information, call Ruiz at 525-3737 or Mike Hidalgo at 486-3245.
Posted by bearbigdog2 on July 23, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank-you Korean War Veterans for your service and the sacrifices you made. As a retired U.S. veteran, I salute you all!
Posted by justmeinsp on July 23, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
my dad served on board the aircraft carrier USS Boxer during the Korea war; he patched bullet holes in the planes... and he's still living here in Santa Paula, and has always been a hero to me :)
Posted by GWAR on July 23, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My grandfather would have loved to see that, he was real proud when they got the highway. I even heard that US 101 could be dedicated to the U.S. Army Airborne, which would be really great if it were to happen.
Posted by lakerboy805 on July 23, 2008 at 5 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My Uncle "Pete Lopez" served, got the purple heart.
Posted by opns on August 2, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My father served, he carried a bazuga, then became a drill seargent. (is that how you spell it: bazuga)
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