Pasadena Honors its Military Family

Condor Squadron flyover during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Participants during the Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Attendees during the Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Colonel Juan M. Mora, U.S. Army during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Pasadena Councilmember Gene Masuda during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Pasadena Councilmember Tyron Hampton during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Pasadena Councilmember Steve Madison during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Pasadena Councilmember Jess Rivas during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Pasadena Councilmember Jason Lyon during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Attendee during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Attendees during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Participants during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Attendees during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

PUSD Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco and PUSD Vice-President Jennifer Hall Lee with participants during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Attendees during Veteran’s Day ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, November 11, 2024. [Paul Takisawa/Pasadena Now]

Against the towering backdrop of Pasadena City Hall on Monday, the community gathered to honor its veterans while bidding farewell to Marines preparing for deployment, marking a Veterans Day celebration that wove together past service and present duty.

The morning celebration carried added poignancy as it followed the Marine Corps’ 249th birthday on Sunday and coincided with preparations for the overseas deployment of the city’s adopted Second Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment.

“Military veterans are an example for all of us and a reminder of our obligations as Americans to our country,” said U.S. Marine veteran and former Pasadena Mayor Bill Paparian from City Hall’s steps.

Paparian, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1971, was awarded the Outstanding Military Volunteer Service Medal by the Secretary of the Navy for his efforts as an elected public official on behalf of the military and veterans.

“The measure of our worth is not fame or fortune,” Paparian added, “but rather what we give back to our nation and our country. Selfless service is why so many American heroes have earned awards for valor, where they placed the lives of others before their own.”

Vietnam Veterans of America State Chaplain Dirk Young opened the ceremony with an invocation. He was followed by Shannon Renee Gray of the Martin Severance Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution singing the National Anthem.

In a poignant moment, Vietnam veterans in attendance rose to sustained applause.

The history of Pasadena’s “Marshall Battalion,” as the Second Battalion is known, reflects deep ties to World War II combat.

“Our Pasadena Marines earned that name in January of 1944 at Quad Atol in the Marshall Islands,” Paparian explained. “They fought in other fierce campaigns — Saipan, Tinian and the Battle of Iwo Jima, where it was famously said, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”

The regiment was most recently deployed to Okinawa in October of 2018 as part of UDP 19.1. The battalion participated in Operation Forest Light 19.1 and conducted training with Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

The element conducted operations in the De-Militarized Zone between the border of North and South Korea, participated in the Korean Marine Exercise Program, and received the Korea Defense Service Medal during this period.

The battalion returned home and was deactivated in April of 2019. It is now a reserve unit.

At precisely 11:11 a.m., the Condor Squadron executed a flyover, maintaining a Veterans Day tradition as U.S. Army Colonel Juan M. Mora, Chief of Staff of the 40th Infantry Division, addressed the gathering.

“It is a privilege to stand before you on this solemn and significant day,” said Mora, “as we honor the brave men and women that have sacrificed for our great nation. We gather not just to remember the past, but to recognize the enduring spirit of service is sacrifice that our veterans and body.”

James Zenner, who directs Los Angeles County Military and Veterans Affairs, praised Pasadena’s commitment to service members.

“LA County takes this obligation to do what we can to support national security very seriously,” said Zenner, himself an Army veteran. “I’ve been researching what the City of Pasadena has done to do what they can on this end, and it looks like a lot of local government municipalities have a lot to learn from the City of Pasadena.”

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo then introduced Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin W. Phillips III, representing the deploying battalion, for a Yellow Ribbon ceremony.

“It’s a great honor and privilege to be a part of the Pasadena community representing nearly a thousand Marines and sailors that are citizen soldiers that have answered the call in the last week,” he said, “and more importantly, the thousands of family members that are left behind. And there’s many people in this audience that have experienced that either as a child or as a parent or as a spouse.”

“A yellow ribbon such as this is a constant reminder that the community remains standing and watch while their loved ones are going forward to answer the call and hold the line,” Lt. Colonel Phillips added.

Pasadena’s Scottish Pipes and Drums then played “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon” on the steps of City Hall to seal the moment before the various anthems of the U.S. Armed Forces were played as members of each force stood proudly in the bright morning sun.