Every Veterans Day, Seal Beach Old Town stops to celebrate and thank those who served. This year, 250 people attended the Monday, Nov. 11, gathering in Eisenhower Park, according to Seal Beach Lion John Schroeder. The Seal Beach Lions Club hosted the event. A howitzer stood on display at the foot of the Pier. Brandon Shaha U.S. Navy provided the military vehicles that were displayed. Many chairs in Eisenhower Park had letters from schoolchildren to veterans waiting on the seats. Other letters from schoolchildren were displayed in the windows of many businesses along Main Street.
Local singer Prestyn Smith performed the National Anthem. Later, she would sing “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful”.
Daren DeLeon, Chamber of Commerce co-president, led the Pledge of Allegiance and provided opening remarks. DeLeon’s father served in the military and now his son is at West Point.
Mike Leibherr, a retired petty officer 3rd class, U.S. Navy, and Lion, said when he was asked to speak at the Veterans Day event, he wasn’t sure how to answer. Public speaking wasn’t in his wheelhouse.
“By looking back at my family history of serving, I realized there is a rich history of veterans in my family I would be sharing with you today, my family warriors,” Leibherr said.
His grandfather served in France during World War I. His father served in the Army from 1942 to 1945 in the Fifth Ranger Battalion.
“I joined the Navy at the age of 17. At that time, I graduated from school. At that time, they had a program called Kiddie Cruiser: You started before you were 18; you would get out before you were 21,” Leibherr said.
He was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Bonhomme. He said flight decks are one of the most dangerous areas on a carrier.
“We had planes land so severely damaged that they threw off debris like missiles into the flight crew,” Leibherr said.
Capt. Jessica J O’Brien, commander of Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, said she was in the last year of her three year tour.
“I’m honored to be here today representing the United States Navy and all of our armed services as we celebrate America’s heroes,” O’Brien said.
“Now it’s also bittersweet, because I’ve had the privilege of living in this great community, which next summer I will be leaving within the Navy, the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach is truly a hidden gem. You rarely find a military base in such beautiful surroundings and with such a welcoming community,” O’Brien said.
“We’re all incredibly blessed to be living here. We’re also incredibly blessed to be living in this wonderful nation with a strong military to ensure our safety and our security and our freedoms. But at the same time, we have to look no further than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or the current situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea to see how even in 2024 safety, security and freedom can all be tenuous things,” O’Brien said.
“Most importantly, today, we should be grateful to be in each other’s presence as we pay tribute to all those who have worn the sacred cloth of this nation,” O’Brien said.
“Roughly half of 1% of our population today now serves in the military,” O’Brien said.
She said their service is a blessing for the 99.5% of those who do not currently serve. “But it also creates a long term problem. As our population grows, a greater percentage of the public will have no link to the armed services, either through service themselves or that of a loved one,” O’Brien said.
State Sen. Janet Nguyen, 36th District, came to America as a child. Her uncle was killed by the Vietnamese Communists. Her grandfather served under Gen. George Patton. She said she has always made veterans a priority.
“The transition between the civilian life and military life is very difficult,” Nguyen said.
“When I was a county supervisor almost 15 years ago, my brother just finished serving in the Marines,” Nguyen said. She was one of the supervisors who oversaw the county Veterans Service Office.
“My brother was homeless,” Nguyen said. But she didn’t know that until one day when she looked into his truck.
“Do you know how terrible I felt?” Nguyen asked.
“They should have pride because they serve our country honorably. They should hold that their head up high, but deep down, they are crying for help,” Nguyen said.
“We as civilians have a duty to help,” Nguyen said.
Daren DeLeon asked the audience to look up an organization he works with called Honor Flight Southland, which provides veterans with flights to Washington, D.C., where they are honored.
“Go ahead and thank the veterans, every time you see them,” he said.
