Air Force veteran and former Vietnam prisoner of war Lt. Col. Marion Anthony Marshall greets students at Canyon Ridge, Shadow Canyon and Summit Leadership schools on Monday morning for a Veterans Day event in Hesperia.
HESPERIA — Hundreds of students braved the cold as Air Force veteran Lt. Col. Marion Anthony Marshall shared his experience of being shot down over North Vietnam and becoming a prisoner of war in the infamous Hanoi Hilton during the end of the Vietnam War.
“Everybody that signs up and protects this country is a hero,” said Marshall, as an American flag danced in the wind. “After flying 266 missions as a pilot, and only spending nine months in jail, I consider myself extremely lucky and I have no regrets about serving my country."
Marshall was one of three speakers who shared their stories on the campus of Canyon Ridge High School during the "Veterans Tribute" in Hesperia where many students also received military photos, and exchanged handshakes and hugs with the speakers.
Principal Scott Ahlgren, who oversees Canyon Ridge and Shadow Ridge School, said Principal Shannon Brandner and her students from Summit Leadership Academy were also in attendance during Monday morning's event.
With family at her side, Delia Loera shared a bit of her brother, Armando Hernandez’s, legacy and how the Hesperia High School graduate of 2000 enlisted in the Army and was killed as a result of injuries suffered from a roadside bomb on Aug. 1, 2004 in Iraq .
Loera said her brother died along with his good friend and comrade, Army Specialist Anthony J. Dixon, 20, of Lindenwold, New Jersey.
“Before Armando enlisted, we were attacked on 9/11 and we were going to war,” Loera told the audience. “I asked him if he was still going to enlist.”
Leora said she was proud of her brother and did a bit of soul-searching when his response was, “Yes, why wouldn’t I? We all have to die for something.”
“I believe that no matter what anybody is going through, even the things that we go through as teenagers, there is always new opportunities,” Loera, 36, said. “We live in a great country — if you’re not good at something keep trying. You’ll find your what you’re good at.”
With photos of her brother and scrapbooks sitting on a table nearby, Loera received several hugs from students after the presentation.
"My 3-month old daughter, Joselyn, is wearing a special shirt today," Loera said. "The shirt reads, 'He's not just my uncle, he's my hero.' "
During the event, community leader Eddie Dean spoke about his father, Navy veteran Barney Dean, who he described as an “American hero” who worked as a Combat Engineer in Company "C" for the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion.
“My father was military police and was part of the Army Corps of Engineers,” Dean said. “As our troops moved closer to Normandy, he was one of the first demolition teams with the U.S. Navy, which gave birth to the Seals. So it was a great honor for my father to have served his country.”
After the presentation, a few speakers visited classrooms and met with students including visitors Lee Bunch, 83 and his wife, Annabell, a veteran couple who served in the Marine Corps and Woman Army Corps respectively. The couple said they brought military uniforms to show the students.
"Every city and individual in the country should take the time to honor a veteran," Annabell Bunch said. "It was a privilege to serve my country."
Shadow Ridge teacher Jim Hoffman told the Daily Press that after several years of conducting the veterans celebration, “the magic, inspiration and emotion of the day has not died.”
“We had some wonderful speakers today who shared straight from their heart,” Hoffman said. “From the Revolutionary War to our present military conflict, I hope our students understand that we need to honor all our veterans who fought for our freedoms that many of us take for granted."