Americans marked Memorial Day with parades, backyard gatherings, and quiet moments at cemeteries. But for those who have lost someone in uniform, the day carries a weight that never fully lifts.
Veterans who paid the ultimate price were honored on Monday afternoon as the Veterans of Foreign Wars Luneta Post 52 held a Memorial Day event at Stockton Civic Auditorium. Among the dignitaries was Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, who addressed those in attendance.
For Gold Star families and veterans, the day is deeply personal.
“I am remembering my two friends who I was ambushed with in Vietnam, who were killed right next to me, and my cousin who stepped on a landmine and died,” said Jim Orona, a Vietnam combat veteran at the event. “The life expectancy of a combat veteran was one day, but I made it six months before I got injured.”
At just 19 years old, Orona was deployed into the jungles of Vietnam.
“I was scared every day,” he said. “The military trains you well and you’re prepared to go overseas, but when you get there, it is a reality check because you’re faced with not only combat but your life. The life expectancy of a combat veteran was one day—but I made it six months before I got injured.”
Now decades later, he still carries those memories.
“Especially if you survive, you have survivor’s guilt. You think, how did I come out of it? Why aren’t you here?” he said. “So you carry it all throughout your life, which is why a day like this is very important — and hard — for us.”
Inside his home, Orona has created a memorial wall to honor his cousin and the members of his unit. For him, remembrance is a daily practice, not just a holiday.
“We all face death, so I want everyone to be grateful for having their loved ones. Take time to say ‘I love you’ because we’re not always promised tomorrow. Especially if you have someone in the military, write them and tell them how much you appreciate them.”
“Take a couple of minutes to say thanks and remember the veterans,” he added. “That’s all. Just a few minutes.”
Among those standing in remembrance this year was Lieutenant Colonel Christopher L. Elson, Director of Discovery Challenge Academy in Lathrop. Elson attended the ceremony in support of his academy cadets, who were asked to help present the colors during the local Memorial Day commemoration.
“This is a day for sacrifice and for those who couldn’t make it home,” Elson said. “I want people to remember to just look around and be kind to your fellow Americans—those who choose to serve, who gave the ultimate sacrifice to help protect our freedom and way of life.”
For Elson, Memorial Day serves as a powerful reminder of both shared values and hard truths.
“Today gives me hope because we are still Americans. No matter what we do, we have the freedom to have different ideas—and that’s a wonderful thing. On Memorial Day, no matter what party you’re in or what side you’re on, you still remember those people who aren’t with us, and their sacrifice.”
For some, the act of remembering turns into poetry. Richard Soto, founder of the Stockton Chicano Research Center and a veteran himself, writes about his time in the Army and the enduring trauma of war.
“Our job was to put them together and stabilize them to breathe,” he said, recalling his time as a medic during Operation Hastings. “We’d receive the wounded from helicopters coming out of the hot zone. Then they’d be shipped off to get the best care available.”
But the questions linger. “After you get out, you ask yourself, why were we even there? Fifty-eight thousand young men killed—for what?”
Soto channels those questions into his writing.
“I saw the grapes being pruned in Lodi one day, and it reminded me of the military cemetery in Manila. I just started writing,” he said. “Someone told me, ‘Don’t try to make it perfect.’ It was just the endless casualties. People go to the wall and look for names. We didn’t have names—we had bodies, of those we could and couldn’t save.”
Samantha Josette, Junior/Senior Vice President of the Auxiliary, believes some of Memorial Day’s meaning is being lost with younger generations.
“I don’t think all of the younger generation understands the full meaning behind Memorial Day,” she said. “But those of us brought up in the ’70s and ’80s—we grew up learning to respect the military and the flag. The younger generation may only see it as summer break or school being out.”
“Memorial Day means remembering all the veterans that were killed in the war,” she continued. “Just take a few minutes to thank all the veterans—that you have a free country.”