City Council honors residents in military and veterans
The city honored 20 residents serving in the military and four veterans of world wars during the last week's City Council meeting at City Hall.
The families of the active servicemen and women were given certificates of appreciation from the city and blue star banners from the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The four veterans were honored with certificates of appreciation.
"Something the City Council has been doing for quite a while is recognizing members of the military from our community, and in addition we've always been working hard to recognize World War II veterans while we still have them with us," said Councilman Ken Willis, a veteran of the Vietnam War.
The Blue Star Banner program was started during World War I, Willis said.
The banners are to be hung in the families' home windows.
"At that time it was an idea that kind of surfaced throughout the U.S. that it was a way of identifying families in the community who had someone in the service and it was continued in World War II and it was very popular at that time," he said.
"It seemed to disappear after World War II and it was not until recent wars that the city of Upland felt it would be a neat thing to bring back. With the help of the Veterans of Foreign Wars we were able to do that."
Willis is the only veteran on the council. Councilman Ray Musser spent two years of alternate service for a state hospital.
The fathers of the other council members and mayor served in the military. Councilman Tom Thomas' father served as a Marine Corps company commander in Iwo Jima. Councilman Brendan Brandt's father served in the Air Force. Mayor John "JP" Pomierski's father was a master sergeant during the Korean War.
Members of the Upland Community Foundation attended the meeting to remind residents of the Adopt a Soldier Military Banner Program, which purchases the military banners seen along Mountain Avenue.
More than 279 banners have been purchased for Upland servicemen and women since 2006.
Individuals, organizations and businesses in the city have sponsored banners.
Banners can be sponsored for $225. Forms are available in the city clerk's office, 460 N. Euclid Ave.
The following servicemen and women were recognized:
Airman 1st Class Christopher Gumphrey, Air Force
Airman 1st Class Matthew Hanks, Air Force
Airman 1st Class Ashley Reynolds, Air Force
Airman 1st Class James Sparks, Air Force
Sgt. Erika Collins, Army
Sgt. Ryan DeLeon, Army
Pfc. Brian Donaldson, Army
Master Sgt. Vincent Encinas, Army
Pfc. Aaron Gernon, Army
Spc. Alfred Gernon III, Army
Pv2 Marcos Loera, Army
Sgt. Brett Murray, Army
Pfc. Christopher Outland, Army
Spc. Jason Ricotta, Army
Pv2 Nicholas Stevenson, Army
Pfc. Sammy Arvizu, Marine Corps
Pfc. Maxwell Carroll, Marine Corps
Seaman Apprentice Andrew Carpenter, Navy
Fireman Joseph Naranjo, Navy
Hosp. Corpsman Richard Ramirez Jr., Navy
The following veterans were honored:
Walter Noehren, Navy during WWII and the Korean War
Harry Cantrall, Army during the Korean War
William "Bill" Sharp, National Guard during the Korean War
John Ikeda, Army during WWII
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