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CASTA DEL SOL VETERANS CLUB

Veterans Month in Mission Viejo Electronic Newsletter November, 2013


- Collaborative Effort by Kaaron Carver, Nellie Cisneros, Boyd Steele, Merl Barrett <Because Casta veterans were honored in so many venues this month, the stories are too numerous for the Courier to carry them all. Instead, we are sending this Electronic newsletter so you can read and forward to others>

Football Players Honor Soldiers at Oct. 25 Game

Historic Service Honored At October Meeting


~ Kaaron Carver

Photo thanks to OC Action Sports ~Please look for a story in the Casta Courier soon by Bill Moynihan, with full details of this historic event, so much appreciated by all Casta veterans.

Sol Schwartz, Howard Bender & wife

A special potluck with guest spouses was held in the Vista Room October 28, as a Veterans Day kickoff. Outgoing President Sandy Hill expressed gratitude to guest Rhonda Reardon, Mission Viejo mayor, for all that her committee and special student athlete assistants provided for the October 26 football game. Vets were touched not only by the warm welcome, which included dinner and jersey trading, but by the proud crowd support, who loudly chanted USA as honorees walked by. Boyd Steele then introduced Retired USAF Colonel Robert Lowell, who served as a pilot on Air Force One for Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter. He recalled how quiet each of them were as he flew them away on their last day, marking their collective defeats. Gerald Ford was his favorite, as he took personal time to speak to everyone, even with high level security. (See page TWO for More) 1

Colonel Robert Lowell, Continued In order to protect the president, there were always two 747s ready to fly, so that no delays occurred. There were also three helicopters for every flight, two as decoys, to protect against possible attack. He also relayed that there were 27 airplanes and 5400 people (all men in his day) that served Air Force One, which he proudly recalls had no incidents. Col. Lowell attended USC before transferring to and graduating from the Naval Academy in 1953. He married wife Joan 23 hours later. He credited Joan with 60 years of loyal support, which she often did alone while raising two sons. All in all it was a wonderful life, and I am very grateful for it, Lowell concluded.

publicly apologized for the poor treatment of the veterans who returned during that time to hostile crowds. Reardon then circulated to hear stories of military service in various experiences from World War II to Vietnam. She thanked everyone for her presence at the dinner, and for the collective contribution of all Casta Veterans. Military Ball a Huge Success
~ By Boyd Steele Photos by Merl Barrett

On Veterans Day, November 11, we held our last event of 2013 with our

Military Honor Banquet. We were honored to have as our guests the mayor of Mission Viejo, Ronda Reardon; Casta's own Admiral Bill Miles, Josh Hodosh, General

Mayor Rhonda Reardon then took the microphone but deferred to the crowd rather than making a formal speech. A daughter of a World War II veteran, she graduated high school in 1968, during the darkest times of the Vietnam War. She

Manager, Casta del Sol Homeowners Association; Valerie Hanich, Recreation Supervisor. The Master of Ceremonies was Mr. James (Jim) Wallace. The music for the night was provided by the Cinema City Six" orchestra directed by Dr. Bill Nichols (this was a real plus to the evening of dining and dance). 2

Military Ball Continued The meal, with entrees of brisket of beef or salmon was catered by JOLANDA (great food). The toasting of the "Services" were lead by George Locke, Commander-in-Chief; Sandy Hill, Department of Defense; Merl Barrett, US Army; Don Robbins, US Marine Corps; Rene' Cisneros, US Navy; Don Hazich, US Air Force; Bill Moynihan, City of Mission Viejo; and, Dan Rickert, "The Ladies." There were 90 residents and their guests in attendance to honor all veterans, living and deceased. The ceremonial cake cutting program borrowed from the Marine Corps featured Admiral Bill Miles, US Navy (Ret.) - WWII service and Mr. Wes Bickel (former Lieutenant, US Army) (highly decorated for Viet Nam action) as the honorary "oldest and youngest" that conducted the cutting of the cake. Another highlight of the evening was the passing of the leadership from Mr. Sandford (Sandy) Hill to Mr. James Wallace. Jim presented a decorative "Eagle Plaque" to Sandy in recognition of his three years of leadership wherein the size of the club doubled. Sandy was given a standing ovation. Any married veteran will attest that a service enlistment or career was made better by a supportive spouse. This support continued in that the decorations and table center pieces were done by a committee of the following wives: Nellie Cisneros (Chairperson), Ginger Wallace, Linda hill, Chris Barrett, Jean Madera, Jaclyn Keller, Karen Everson, and Wendy Allaire. Our thanks to these wonderful and supportive individuals On departure, each lady in attendance was presented a red rose.

Large Crowd Expresses Gratitude at Community Center November 11


~ Kaaron Carver

Most communities are good about having a patriotic remembrance for their Veterans on November 11, to honor their service and sacrifice. But in Mission Viejo, the ceremonies continued all month. They were both numerous and held with respect and honor by those involved, especially by mayor Rhonda Reardon. Because of her own experiences, Reardon feels duty-bound to honor veterans, and even apologize for some of the bad treatment that she has observed over the years from fellow Americans. November 11 dawned as the official and very big day in Mission Viejo. A 2 pm reception at the Community Center included a warm welcome from the City Council and mayor, followed by color guard and prayers. The Orange County Childrens Choir then gave a heartwarming performance of a medley of patriotic songs. Guest speaker, USMC Colonel Joseph Russell, retired, Commanding Officer Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, reminded us of the service and sacrifice of so many that must never be forgotten. Cake and coffee followed, with the community getting an opportunity to interact with and personally thank veterans. 3

Republicans in for Thanksgiving Treat at Nov. 17 Meeting When Republican club president Linda Barnes and associate Wendy Allaire decided to invite any Casta veteran to be honored guests at their Nov. 17 gathering, they had no idea the treat that was in store for them. After her crew served sandwiches and pumpkin pie, Linda welcomed 6th District Supervisor Pat Bates to speak on local events. They then presented awards to each veteran guest from the City of Mission Viejo, Orange County, and the Republican Party. Honored guests were then invited to reflect on their military experiences. Most significant was the contrast in stories from World War II POW Bob Gordon, who felt he was treated well in a German officers camp to that of Sol Schwartz, treated much less kindly in the Philippines and Japan. Linda acknowledged that practically every male resident in Casta is a veteran, and realized what an historic treasure such a membership is to our community.

Final Reflections As a recent newcomer from Sonoma County, I know what its like to see veterans ignored at best, derided at worst.

It is such a pleasure to be a homeowner in a city like Mission Viejo, which has done more than most cities in America to honor its veterans, and to convince them that they are not forgotten. It is a delight to live among and learn valuable lessons about sacrifice, honor and love of country, from the veterans of Casta Del Sol. And finally, I thank my parents, both who served in the Philippines in World War II, for making a better world for me and for all Americans. Thank you for reading this newsletter. Respectfully Submitted, Kaaron Carver

PLEASE CLICK HERE ~ to see photos of activities of Veterans Month, November 2013. Click on the first photo and view caption underneath ~ then click on the right arrow to continue. Enjoy!

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