Castro Valley Veterans Memorial Halfway There, Donations Needed

The Veterans of Foreign Wars post needs your help to finish a permanent tribute to veterans past, present and future here in Castro Valley.

Local VFW Post 9601 has raised nearly half of the $85,000 required to build the Castro Valley Veterans Memorial in on Lake Chabot Road.

Why build a memorial in Castro Valley?

Vietnam veteran and chief memorial fundraiser Bob Pirone said it’s important to remember veterans of all wars because they are the ones that help us live free today.

“When I came back from Vietnam the country was against the war,” said Pirone. “When we came back we were booed and spit on – that’s why there’s a movement now to support the vets. We can’t forget who fought for us.”

It was in 2009 that Michael L. Emerson, a life member of District 14 Post 9601 and memorial project manager, was asked to help put together a fitting tribute to veterans who’ve fought for this country's freedom.

Emerson, a Marine and veteran of Desert Storm, was chosen to complete the Castro Valley memorial because of his experience as creator, project manager and fundraiser for the Flight 93 Memorial in Union City.

The memorial – built to honor the heroes of United Airlines Flight 93 – was dedicated in December 2007.

Emerson said his involvement in that memorial came about because the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, changed his life.

“After 9/11, I joined the VFW, the Disabled American Veterans and many others,” said Emerson. “It really awakened Americanism and patriotism in me. I started to become more aware.”

Emerson helped coordinate the design of the memorial – actually the final design was Emerson’s – it was chosen in a blind vote by other members of Post 9601.

He commissioned civil engineer Jeff Moore of Castro Valley's Greenwood and Moore, Inc., to help with the final design concept.

The memorial sits inside a circular retaining wall containing six concrete benches that were sponsored by various organizations and individuals for a $1,000 donation.

Nothing but military related designs were to be included, so no personal touches were added to the benches by those who paid for them.

Nate Miley, for example, purchased a bench that will feature a Rosie the Riveter design to honor woman’s roles in supporting the military.

Inside the benches are six black granite slabs – each one inscribed with the name and the seal of a branch of the armed forces. On the back of each slab there is room for 99 names. Anyone wanting to honor a vet can purchase a space at $200 per name.

In the center of those black granite slabs sits a 25-foot-tall black satin flag pole with a large American flag.

Visitors entering from the front of the memorial will see another black granite slab centered between two gray, granite statues.

The center stone has the name of the memorial on it and the adjacent statues feature of a boy on the right and a girl holding on the left, holding triangle-folded American flags.

The left statue reads: “Thank you to our past, present and future heroes” while the right statue reads: “All gave some, some gave all.”

Even if you don’t have a friend or family member who was a veteran, those who wish to can still purchase a commemorative brick.

The bricks are available to all veterans, civilians, companies, groups and organizations that want to donate $100. They will be placed on the outer edge of the memorial’s base. Each brick can be inscribed with up to three lines of 14 characters each.

Emerson said he’s confident the bricks and slabs will all be sold and Castro Valley will soon have a memorial of their own. All that is needed is a little more support.

“If we had the just a small portion of the vets in Castro Valley step up and get a stone we’d easily pay for it,” said Emerson.

Everything is complete, but organizers say cannot start construction until the full $85,000 is raised. Conceding the economy is definitely tough right now, Emerson and Pirone both believe the memorial is still important.

“We need to honor and remember veterans and Castro Valley is an important community, so it’s a great place to put [a memorial],” said Emerson.

“People forget sometimes,” Pirone said. “People need to remember and need something to help them remember why we’re free. And if we forget we will lose.”

For more information about the Castro Valley Veterans Memorial, or to donate, visit www.cvvm.info.