By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO — Anyone who has ever confused “Veterans Day” with “Memorial Day” can understand how it might have happened. The plaque to be dedicated on Nov. 11–Veterans Day–came back with an inscription saying it was dedicated Memorial Day. But, no real harm done– Given that the permanent monument for the plaque at Miramar National Cemetery still has to be erected, there’s plenty of time to have a new plaque done.
Lt. Col. Allen Miliefsky, USAF retired, California State Commander of the Jewish War Veterans, tends to be unflappable. Surveying the plaque, he decided that its lettering looked nicer than the lettering on the plaque that in fact was dedicated by the Jewish War Veterans last Memorial Day–May 30, 2011– at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. He said he might even switch the newer plaque one for the one at Fort Rosecrans, and have another “Veterans Day” plaque made for Miramar National Cemetery.
On Memorial Day, the United States honors its war dead, and on Veterans Day, it honors those who have served in the Armed Services. But the distinction tends to blur. On Memorial Day, it’s not unnatural to also honor people who survived wars, but at great sacrifice. Nor is it unusual to remember on Veterans Day those service people who were killed in wars.
J.W.V. was the last veterans organization to install a plaque at the now-filled-up Fort Rosecrans Cemetery and now is one of the first such organizations to have a memorial at the new Miramar National Cemetery. A large statue dedicated to U.S. Prisoners of War preceded it.
Rabbi Ben Leinow and Cantor Larry Kornit of Congregation B’nai Tikvah in Vista conducted a brief ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11, dedicating the temporary plaque in a location that was also temporary under Miramar National Cemetery’s large flagpole. When the permanent plaque is installed, it will be near the entrance to the cemetery close to the northbound Interstate 805 off-ramp and Nobel Drive.
“The most important thing is that this is being dedicated to people– all of us–who spent part of our lives defending our country in one theatre of war or another, or even during peace time, so we would always have something to lean upon when the moment might come when our country needed to be defended,” Rabbi Leinow told approximately two dozen persons who had gathered for the ceremony.
Among those gathered at Miramar National Cemetery were Jewish community members, San Diego City Councilwoman Marti Emerald and Dr. Steve Davis, husband of Congresswoman Susan Davis. The congresswoman, who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, later joined President Barack Obama in San Diego County to witness a Veterans Day college basketball game aboard the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson between North Carolina and Michigan State. That was the same carrier to which the body of terrorist Osama Bin Laden was flown for burial at sea after U.S. Navy Seals raided his compound in Pakistan, killing him along with family members and guards.
Cantor Kornit chanted Psalm 23 and El Moleh Rachamim and Rabbi Leinow led the Miramar group in Kaddish.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com