Bartlett Honors Fallen Heroes at Memorial Day Tribute
Lake Forest, CA: Memorial Day services for Mike Bartlett brought him full circle this Monday with his attending one of Orange County’s larger venues for Veterans and families assembled to honor fallen heroes and family members who served in the armed forces.
Joined by Lake Forest Mayor Mark Tettemer, Mission Viejo Mayor Trish Kelly and Aliso Viejo Mayor Bill Phillips, Mike was took some solemn time to reflect and pray for lifetime friends he’d met in the Navy and for those who would never returned from Vietnam.
Bartlett was moved by the first person account of warfare by 22 yr old Marine Corporal Ehren Terbeek, who recounted the battles and challenges of his fellow Marines in Iraq’s ground war against insurgents, heat, dust, fatigue and IED’s.
After silently watching VFW and American Legion wreath presentations, gun-salute and taps, Bartlett ended the appearance at the event by talking to family members and exchanging stories about Marine Corps and Navy heroism over the generations of service to America under arms and on foreign shores.
“It’s amazing to see young Americans give so much to protect our country. All Veterans see a part of themselves in these young men and women. I am a proud Veteran, especially when I’m standing among heroes who are serving now and those who serve in eternity.”
The Memorial Day prayer service venue was the third this year for Bartlett, who attended the 40th Anniversary of the battle of Khe Sanh Memorial, and the ground-breaking for the Veterans Memorial at Saddleback College earlier this spring.
Mike Bartlett Honors United States Marines
40th Anniversary
The Battle of Khe Sanh
January 21, 2008
Westminster, Ca: Orange County Superior Court Judge Candidate Mike Bartlett proudly honored the United States Marine Corps and allied agencies that defended Khe Sanh on the 40th anniversary of one of the most historic battles in the military history of this nation in Westminster, California, on Monday, January 21, as part of a candlelight ceremony, at the County Memorial monument in the Westminster Civic Center.
Bartlett, who honorably served the United States as member of the United States Navy, said the County memorial is to believed to be the nations’ largest honors of the siege of 6,000 United States Marines who fought from January 21, 1968 to April 8, 1968, against 20,000 North Vietnamese Regulars, merciless enemy bombardments and horrific weather that stretched their very survival and command of the northern province of South Vietnam.
The memorial featured keynote speaker and survivor of the siege in United States Federal Judge and former Marine, David O. Carter, who sustained such catastrophic wounds that he was on his way to Graves-registration when Medics realized he was still alive. Judge Carter received the Bronze Star for gallantry in combat / Purple Heart and told attendees and family members his recollections of surviving in the muddy red clay, rats and cold rations of Khe Sanh.
Bartlett said he wanted to attend the memorial to honor the memory of men and women who went on to serve careers in the Navy and Marine Corps and give thanks to those Marines and South Vietnamese Army members who served in defense of Khe Sanh as a stand against communism in Viet Nam.
Bartlett said he is particularly honored to be able to say ‘thank you’ in a prayer to honor the thousands of Marines and Navy personnel who processed thru MCAS El Toro from 1943 to 1998. He was joined by his wife, Dana Point Mayor Pro-tem Lisa Barlett.
Bartlett said family members of Viet Nam Veterans and every member of the Marine Corps who ever served were invited to bring any article of remembrance to be placed at the site , reminiscent of the personal and military collections placed at the base of the National Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, to represent fallen comrades or relatives that evening. Bartlett brought the Marine Corps flag to post at the memorial and participated in the closing candle-lighting ceremony.
