Around 75 Española Valley residents gathered to honor area military veterans Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.; the exact day and time World War 1 ended 91 years ago.
The Veterans Day event was held at the city’s Veterans Memorial Wall at the Española Plaza, and featured speakers from every branch of the military, including former U.S. Marine and current Española Fire Chief John Kitchen, who gave the keynote speech.
“Veterans, this is our day,” he said, saying that one day of remembrance a year is both important to and appreciated by him and his fellow veterans.
Uniformed veterans peppered the crowd, including two from World War I, but Johnny Gallegos, also a former Marine, said he preferred to blend in. Gallegos attended the event wearing an ordinary black sweatshirt and jeans. Nothing he wore would indicate that he spent his twenties on active combat duty in the Vietnam War.
“It makes me uncomfortable to wear my uniform in public,” he said. “I don’t mind if people know I’m a veteran, but that’s not all I am.”
In spite of his deliberate anonymity, Gallegos said he agreed with Kitchen, that he appreciates the acknowledgment of veterans on Veteran’s Day.
“It’s good to know that there’s a day when people are thinking of all of us,” he said. “Not just me, but all of us.”
Gallegos’ wife, Liz, dabbed her eyes while two military buglers played “Taps” to end the ceremony. She said she cries every Veterans Day at least once.
“Just thinking of what Johnny went through and knowing that so many people all over the country did it too, it gets me every time,” she said. “I’m glad (the city) had something like this for people to come to and remember them.”