For the last couple of Memorial Days, I have been keeping this list of Thousand Oaks residents killed in wars.

This year the list of Conejo Valley residents had no new names — something to be very grateful for. New on my list this year are eight additional names listed on plaque outside of the Thousand Oaks Library dedicated to Vietnam War veterans. I added these eight to the list for the Vietnam War - for a total of 14.

Above on left is the Vietnam War Memorial outside of the Thousand Oaks Library. On right is the World War II Memorial in Beyer Park. I visited both this morning to pay my respects.

My list:

Listed on the Beyer Park Memorial for World War 2 are:

Cleon Biddle - Air Force

John Hays - Army

Roy Spain - Army

Harold Wienke - Army

Richard Wienkler - Army

Vietnam Link to National Archives Database

Charles Ivan DeGraw - Army 1968

David Earl Farr - Army 1970

Eric James Hubberth - Air Force 1970

Colin Frank Jackson - Marine 1967

Larry Allan Jones - Marine 1968

John Clarence Shamel Marine 1967

Mark L. Brown

Ralph M. Butler

Michael A. Frattali

Dennis French

Brent A. Hayton

Sidney C. Howard

Donald B. McCoig

Robert G. Nally

There were no listings for Thousand Oaks in the Korean War in the same National Archives Database

For Iraq/Afghanistan

Sean M. Corlew - Air Force 2002 Newbury Park High School Graduate

Anthony C. Melia - Marine 2007 Thousand Oaks High School Graduate

Francis L. Toner IV - Navy 2009 Westlake High School Graduate

Andrew J. Castro - Army 2010 Westlake High School Graduate

Brian M. Wolverton - Army 2009 Oak Park High School

The links are to the Los Angeles Times California War Dead Database.

If you have additional information for this list, you can send me an e-mail on the contact page. See "Contact" on the black bar above to the right of "Home."

While walking around downtown Buellton yesterday I found this war memorial to US Marine Cpl. Aaron M. Allen. A good reminder to remember the soldiers. Here is link to Allen's page in the Los Angeles Times California Wardead Database.

Today members of the California National Guard 1-140th Aviation Battalion is returning home.

For the last couple of Memorial Days, I have been keeping this list of Thousand Oaks residents killed in wars.

This year the list of Conejo Valley residents killed in wars has one new name: Army Spec. Andrew J. Castro, killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 28, 2010.

My list:

Listed on the Beyer Park Memorial for World War 2 are:

Cleon Biddle - Air Force

John Hays - Army

Roy Spain - Army

Harold Wienke - Army

Richard Wienkler - Army

Vietnam Link to National Archives Database

Charles Ivan DeGraw - Army 1968

David Earl Farr - Army 1970

Eric James Hubberth - Air Force 1970

Colin Frank Jackson - Marine 1967

Larry Allan Jones - Marine 1968

John Clarence Shamel Marine 1967

There were no listings for Thousand Oaks in the Korean War in the same National Archives Database

For Iraq/Afghanistan

Sean M. Corlew - Air Force 2002 Newbury Park High School Graduate

Anthony C. Melia - Marine 2007 Thousand Oaks High School Graduate

Francis L. Toner IV - Navy 2009 Westlake High School Graduate

Andrew J. Castro - Army 2010 Westlake High School Graduate

Brian M. Wolverton - Army 2009 Oak Park High School

The links are to the Los Angeles Times California War Dead Database

Today I attended the 46th Annual "Lest We Forget" Memorial Day Service at Conejo Mountain Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Camarillo. About 500 were in attendance. Members of the U.S. Naval Base Ventura County Ceremonial Color Guard performed the Presentation of Colors, Firing Detail (above) and other portions of the program.

A great speaker, Chief Petty Officer Michael P. Blaauw, U.S. Navy, gave a very detailed talk about the 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole.

I uploaded 16 images to this Memorial Day 2011 flickr set.

Meanwhile, on the Los Angeles Times From the Archives blog, I posted this Southern California defenses photo gallery of 20 images from January, 1942 - when the U.S. Army prepared defenses in Southern California for a possible Japanese attack.

Hope you had a great Memorial Day!

Salutes, flags, uniforms and aircraft fly-bys marked today's Lest We Forget Memorial Day program in Westlake Village. About 3000 attended the event at the Garden of Valor at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park. Enjoy the photos and enjoy Memorial Day! Remember all those in uniform!

Flickr flash slide show

Flickr Lest We Forget photo set

Last year for Memorial Day I put together a list of Conejo Valley Residents who died in previous wars. It's time to update the list and thank all military personnel for their service.



Sunday I revisited the small Thousand Oaks World War 2 memorial at Beyer Park and happy to report It's in good condition.



Photo taken with iPhone Hipstamatic camera app.

This year the list of Conejo Valley residents killed in wars has one new name: Private First Class Brian M. Wolverton, 21, died on August 21, 2009, in Afghanistan. He was a graduate of Oak Park High School.

My list:

Listed on the Beyer Park Memorial for World War 2 are:

Cleon Biddle - Air Force

John Hays - Army

Roy Spain - Army

Harold Wienke - Army

Richard Wienkler - Army

Vietnam Link to National Archives Database

Charles Ivan DeGraw - Army 1968

David Earl Farr - Army 1970

Eric James Hubberth - Air Force 1970

Colin Frank Jackson - Marine 1967

Larry Allan Jones - Marine 1968

John Clarence Shamel Marine 1967

There were no listings for Thousand Oaks in the Korean War in the same National Archives Database

For Iraq/Afghanistan

Sean M. Corlew - Air Force 2002 Newbury Park High School Graduate

Anthony C. Melia - Marine 2007 Thousand Oaks High School Graduate

Francis L. Toner IV - Navy 2009 Westlake High School Graduate

Brian M. Wolverton - Army 2009 Oak Park High School

The links are to the Los Angeles Times California War Dead Database

Vietnam veteran David Stull stands guard while supporting a flagpole carrying the American flag at the Garden of Valor at Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village. This was one of three 30 minute shifts he stood guard. November ,1984 photo by Scott Harrison/The News Chronicle

Back in the 1980s Conejo Valley residents would observe a 24-hour vigil during the Veterans Day holiday. I took photos several times, but this 1984 photo at dusk remains my favorite. The current full name of Valley Oaks is Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park. The flame is still burning at the Garden of Valor.

Remember our Veterans on Wednesday.

This morning I was able to attend the 2009 Memorial Day Service at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks - Griffin Memorial Park in Westlake Village. Great program and over 2,000 in attendance. Of course I shot photos - lots of salutes, flags, music and remembering those who gave their lives for the United States.

Two vets I was able to spend a little time with were 1st. Lt. Randy Kramer of Encino and Sgt. Donald L. Montgomery of Thousand Oaks.

Kramer served three years in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Italy during World War 2. His original uniform was in perfect condition, except he admitted to having to let it out a little after 60 years. Kramer, a former pilot, had flown with the Van Nuys based Condor Squadron for years, but now is not flying. He was excited to see his buddies in the Condor Squadron do a fly-by half-way through the program.

Montgomery said he served in Korea and China being too young for World War 2. But that didn't stop him from lying about his age and joining the Marines when 16. The Marines must have kept him as he rose to the rank of Sgt. and was loaded down with medals - more than most officers were able to gather.

The program was great. Now I am looking forward to seeing the Traveling Vietnam Wall scheduled to be at Pierce Brothers over Labor Day weekend.

But what really made my day is the photo above. After the big Memorial Day program, I stopped at Beyer Park in Thousand Oaks and checked out the World War 2 memorial. Someone had quietly left a flag and flowers in memory to the five Thousand Oaks residents who lost their lives in World War 2. A special thank-you to who ever cared enough to remember. ( See my blog from Saturday.)

Happy Memorial Day

Scott

On Memorial Day we will remember all those who gave their lives in service to the United States. On Monday, there will be a big ceremony at Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park in Westlake Village. starting at 10:30 am with music, speeches and an aircraft flyby.

I attended last year's program and was both saddened to see the memorial for Lance Cpl. Anthony c. Melia, killed in Iraq in January, 2007, but also gladdened to meet sailor Allan Jones, E5, who had recently returned from Iraq.

Since last year, we lost a third Thousand Oaks military member Navy Lt. Francis L. Toner IV, killed in March, 2009, in Afghanistan. Toner was a football star at Westlake High School.

But Memorial Day is to honor all those who gave their lives in all wars. Hidden and forgotten is a Thousand Oaks Memorial to five soldiers who gave their lives in World War 2. Next to Conejo Elementary School is a pocket size park named after community activist John Beyer. Inside Beyer Park is a small memorial - that resembles a bar-b-q - with the names of those five soldiers.



The tiny 1951 memorial to World War 2 soldiers in Beyer Park in Thousand Oaks.



In the 1940s, I believe Thousand Oak's population was about 1500. Everyone must have known the five soldiers who gave their lives. The 1960 census of Thousand Oaks had a population of 2934, 1970 census had 35, 935. The World War 2 memorial was original placed in 1951 by Thousand Oaks Chamber of Commerce.

Here is my incomplete list of Thousand Oaks residents killed in previous wars:

Listed on the Beyer Park Memorial for World War 2 are:

Cleon Biddle - Air Force

John Hays - Army

Roy Spain - Army

Harold Wienke - Army

Richard Wienkler - Army

Vietnam Link to National Archives Database

Charles Ivan DeGraw - Army 1968

David Earl Farr - Army 1970

Eric James Hubberth - Air Force 1970

Colin Frank Jackson - Marine 1967

Larry Allan Jones - Marine 1968

John Clarence Shamel Marine 1967

There were no listings for Thousand Oaks in the Korean War in the same National Archives Database

For Iraq/Afghanistan

Sean M. Corlew - Air Force 2002 Newbury Park High School Graduate

Anthony C. Melia - Marine 2007 Thousand Oaks High School Graduate

Francis L. Toner IV - Navy 2009 Westlake High School Graduate

The links are to the Los Angeles Times California War Dead Database

To honor veterans if my own way, this morning I attended the Conejo Valley 2008 Memorial Day Service at Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park in Westlake Village. I was saddened by the memorial for Lance Cpl. Anthony C. Melia, Thousand Oaks High School Graduate, killed in Iraq in January, 2007. But I was also able to meet sailor Allan Jones, E5, who recently returned from Iraq. Here are a couple of photos and my gallery. Enjoy. Scott

Photo Gallery



Dove released during Memorial Day services in Westlake Village.



U.S. Navy sailor Allan Jones E5 and family.