Merced in Merced County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Merced County Veterans Memorial

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, August 9, 2022

1. Merced County Veterans Memorial Marker

Inscription.

Merced County Veterans Memorial. . Marker One: , Spanish-American War 1898-1902 , World War I 1914-1918 , World War II 1941-1945 , The Korean War 1950-1953 , Dominican Republic 1965 , The Vietnam War 1959-1975 , Lebanon Intervention 1983 , Grenada Intervention 1983-1984 , Panama Intervention 1989-1990 , Persian Gulf War 1990-1991 , - David L. Tapley , Somalia Relief Action 1992-1994 , Haiti Police Action 1994-1995 , Bosnia-Herzegovina (UN) 1995-, ”Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” , Matthew 5:9 NIV, Marker Two: , World War I 1914 - 1918. , Statistics recorded only the state that the service member entered the service from. However, it is believed, based upon the size of Merced County in 1918. That 72-84 Merced County service members died in World War I., In memory of the courageous members of armed forces from Merced County who gave their lives to keep America free in “The War to End All Wars”., Marker Three: , WORLD WAR II 1941 - 1945 , Merced County Citizens Who Made The Supreme Sacrifice For Their Country , Mike E. Abril . James C. Allen . Sidney H. Allen . Harry G. Angelakis . Lewis M. Archer . Paul K. Bennett . Leonard B. Bernard . Albert F. Berumen . Santo Beutecale . George A. Bishop . Merle H. Bolte . Tunney E. Boyd . William J. Bracken . Lester E. Brown . Otto A. Buddenbaum . Peter C. Buendia . James A. Buxton . Archie C. Byrne . Walter J.Campos . Bernie A. Canterberry . Verne P. Cardoza . Chester A. Carey . Charles A. Carter . Everett B. Caton . Max L. Champion . Fred A. Corvello . John Corvello . Orval D. Crites . Milton Cunha . Jack C. Curry . Alvis N. Dill, Jr. . Edgar A. Duffield . Jack C. Durham . Thomas R. Eason . R.A. Ellis, Jr. . Lucio A. Enriquez . Jack W. Felts . Arthur P. Ferrari . Joe Flood . George R. Founts . Thomas E. Fullerton . Fletcher B. Gilbert . Rolland Gill . James D. Goode . Edward F. Gray . Ralph G. Harris . Walter T. Harris . William G. Harris . Donald Hesse . Edward L. Hodge . Richard G. Hondeville . James I. House . Peder J. Johansen . Leonard R. Johnson . Floyd L. Jones, Jr. . Robert J. Josephson . Jim Kashiwase . Walter R. Kearney . Mamory Kinoshita . Wayne W. Laird . Robert R. Lampman . Frederick F. Lane . Joe Latorraca . R.E. Lauderdale, Jr . Edward F. Ledford . Daniel S. Loewen . David S. Loewen . Alfonso M. Lopez . Joe Lopez . Victor S. Machado . Ben L. Macias . Paul Macias . Robert P. Marin . Eugenio V. Martinez . Lester J. Martinez . James D. McComb . Doyle W. McDonough . Perry A. McCever . Albert J. Medina . Oscar V. Meeker . John W. Meredith . Grady W. Merritt . Walter S. Meyers . Forrest S. Michael . Christan L. Miranda . Robert S. Mitchell . Rolland R. Nelson . Arnold Ohki . Hoyt Overturf . Bernard D. Paradiso . William R. Park . Jasper C. Pearson . David Perez . Howard R. Picton . Tony L. Pinneli . Tony D. Pisano . John M. Porter . Herschel L. Posey . Dominic J. Pricolo . Wade Renwick . Paul F. Rodriguez . James E. Roduner, Jr. . Joseph G. Rose . Charles L. Ross . J.C. Row . Frank S. Ruiz, Jr. . John G. Saca, Jr. . Robert Salas . Frank A. Salsa, Jr. . Kenneth A. Sanders . August Sandino . George Scheidt . Toshiaki Shoji . William E. Smith . Albert Snapp . David Solari . Frank R. Souza . Joseph M. Spina . Forrest E. Stamper . William J. Stefani . Edwin Steinberg . Frederick T. Stewart . Robert C. Thompson . Carl H. Tometz . Elmer G. Tosta . Robert Watson . Paul L. Wettengel . Willis G. Williams . Charles Wilson . William B. Winchester . Clifford E. Witt . William Young . James Madison Amis . Chester W. Wuertley . Jesus C. Lopez . Robert E. Gaines, Jr. . Dale W. Kroeger . Victor A. Wassmer . James B. Cabral . Charles R. Cothran . Anthony Rose, ”It is not enough to fight. It is the spirit which we bring to the fight that decides the issue. It is morale that wins the victory” , General George C. Marshall. , Marker Four: , Korean War 1950 – 1953 , Merced County Citizens Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice for Their Country , Libby J. Bacaylan . Anthony E. Brown . Willie R. Cardenas . Edward R. Clark . Miguel S. Chavez . Joe P. Coelho . Ronald L. Dunn . Ralph Alan Ellis, Jr. . Virgle J. Evans . Louis P. Fausone . Joe L. Freitas . Joseph L. Helfin . Walter L. Hood . Billie R. Hudson . Elmer M. Lorenzo . Matthew Love . Keith A. Marvel . John A. Olivera . Jesse B. Sanchez . Kenneth E. Sawyer . Tony Tavares . James B. Triggs . Henri J. Vaschetto . Larry A. Weaver . Roy Wyatt , ”Upon the fields of friendly strife, are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, on other days, will bear the fruits of victory.” , General Douglas McArthur. , Marker Five: , Vietnam War 1964 – 1975 , David M. Winters . Sherman D. Monk . John B. Ahern . Leslie E. Murray . Frank A. Celano . Arturo A. Nazabal Jr. . Timothy L. Collier . John A. Norris III . Jammie V. Franklin . Eddie J. Padilla . Reginald W. Fitchett . Ralph H. Padilla . Robert E. Freitas . Melvin D. Quinn . Peter J. Gallo . Dean N. Raschke . Robert W. Gibbins . William H. Reedy Jr. . Larry L. Goar . Charles A. Richardson . Richard Granados . Linus R. Roe . Steven T. Griggs . Dillard G. Rye . Fred G. Haug . Vernon D. Sandvig . Richard T. Havel . Walter J. Seidel . Felipe Hernandez . Wm Butch Scalon . Jerry L. Janeway . Jerry D. Sisco Jr. . Jimmie W. Jones . Jeffery Stowe . William E. Lawson . James J. Stroble . Larry P. Lussier . John H. Suydan III . David L. Martin Jr. . Raymond W. Templeton . John C. Martin . Raymond H. Tighe . Billy O. Mc Dougal . Francisco M. Trujillo . Melvin W. Mc Dowell . Juan B. Valtierra . Stephen W. Mc Kinley . Robert T. Vergano . John W. Mc Master IV . Wayne L. Bolte . Howard D. Stephenson . James J. Wright . Ralph Copeland . Wm. Butch Scanlon, It may be they served in a war they may not have agreed with or understood, yet they served , Merced County Patriots
Dedicated October 25, 1976 , “I am happy to be here with my brothers, all the soldiers.” , Joe Maes. , Marker Six: , Veterans for Freedom are not Forgotten. , Karina S. Lau PFC U.S. Army, Age 20, Livingston, Nov 2, 2003, Iraq , Travis J. Layfield Lance CPL USMC, Age 19, Atwater, Apr 6, 2004, Iraq , Cesar A. Granados CPL U.S. Army, Age 21, Le Grand, Sept 17, 2006, Iraq , Joshua D. Pickard CPL USMC, Age 20, Merced, Dec 19, 2006, Iraq , Frank J. Gasper SSGT U.S. Army, Age 25, Merced, May 25, 2008, Iraq , Lukas C. Hopper SPC U.S. Army, Age 20, Merced, Oct 30, 2009, Iraq , Matthew T. Abbate SGT USMC, Age 26, Merced, Dec 2, 2010, Afghanistan , Vincent W. Ashlock SSG U.S. Army, Age 45, Merced, Dec 4, 2010, Afghanistan, Greater Love Has No One Than This.

Marker One:
Spanish-American War 1898-1902
World War I 1914-1918
World War II 1941-1945
The Korean War 1950-1953
Dominican Republic 1965
The Vietnam War 1959-1975
Lebanon Intervention 1983
Grenada Intervention 1983-1984
Panama Intervention 1989-1990
Persian Gulf War 1990-1991
- David L. Tapley
Somalia Relief Action 1992-1994
Haiti Police Action 1994-1995
Bosnia-Herzegovina (UN) 1995-

”Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God”
Matthew 5:9 NIV

Marker Two:
World War I 1914 - 1918
Statistics recorded only the state that the service member entered the service from. However, it is believed, based upon the size of Merced County in 1918. That 72-84 Merced County service members died in World War I.

In memory of the courageous members of armed forces from Merced County who gave their lives to keep America free in “The War to End All Wars”.

Marker Three:
WORLD WAR II 1941 - 1945
Merced County Citizens Who Made The Supreme Sacrifice For Their Country
Mike E. Abril • James C. Allen • Sidney H. Allen • Harry G. Angelakis • Lewis M. Archer • Paul K. Bennett • Leonard B. Bernard • Albert F.

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Berumen • Santo Beutecale • George A. Bishop • Merle H. Bolte • Tunney E. Boyd • William J. Bracken • Lester E. Brown • Otto A. Buddenbaum • Peter C. Buendia • James A. Buxton • Archie C. Byrne • Walter J.Campos • Bernie A. Canterberry • Verne P. Cardoza • Chester A. Carey • Charles A. Carter • Everett B. Caton • Max L. Champion • Fred A. Corvello • John Corvello • Orval D. Crites • Milton Cunha • Jack C. Curry • Alvis N. Dill, Jr. • Edgar A. Duffield • Jack C. Durham • Thomas R. Eason • R.A. Ellis, Jr. • Lucio A. Enriquez • Jack W. Felts • Arthur P. Ferrari • Joe Flood • George R. Founts • Thomas E. Fullerton • Fletcher B. Gilbert • Rolland Gill • James D. Goode • Edward F. Gray • Ralph G. Harris • Walter T. Harris • William G. Harris • Donald Hesse • Edward L. Hodge • Richard G. Hondeville • James I. House • Peder J. Johansen • Leonard R. Johnson • Floyd L. Jones, Jr. • Robert J. Josephson • Jim Kashiwase • Walter R. Kearney • Mamory Kinoshita • Wayne W. Laird • Robert R. Lampman • Frederick F. Lane • Joe Latorraca • R.E. Lauderdale, Jr • Edward F. Ledford • Daniel S. Loewen • David S. Loewen • Alfonso M. Lopez • Joe Lopez • Victor S. Machado • Ben L. Macias • Paul Macias • Robert P. Marin • Eugenio V. Martinez • Lester J. Martinez • James D. McComb • Doyle W. McDonough • Perry A. McCever • Albert J. Medina • Oscar V. Meeker • John W. Meredith • Grady W. Merritt • Walter S. Meyers

World War I Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

2. World War I Marker

• Forrest S. Michael • Christan L. Miranda • Robert S. Mitchell • Rolland R. Nelson • Arnold Ohki • Hoyt Overturf • Bernard D. Paradiso • William R. Park • Jasper C. Pearson • David Perez • Howard R. Picton • Tony L. Pinneli • Tony D. Pisano • John M. Porter • Herschel L. Posey • Dominic J. Pricolo • Wade Renwick • Paul F. Rodriguez • James E. Roduner, Jr. • Joseph G. Rose • Charles L. Ross • J.C. Row • Frank S. Ruiz, Jr. • John G. Saca, Jr. • Robert Salas • Frank A. Salsa, Jr. • Kenneth A. Sanders • August Sandino • George Scheidt • Toshiaki Shoji • William E. Smith • Albert Snapp • David Solari • Frank R. Souza • Joseph M. Spina • Forrest E. Stamper • William J. Stefani • Edwin Steinberg • Frederick T. Stewart • Robert C. Thompson • Carl H. Tometz • Elmer G. Tosta • Robert Watson • Paul L. Wettengel • Willis G. Williams • Charles Wilson • William B. Winchester • Clifford E. Witt • William Young • James Madison Amis • Chester W. Wuertley • Jesus C. Lopez • Robert E. Gaines, Jr. • Dale W. Kroeger • Victor A. Wassmer • James B. Cabral • Charles R. Cothran • Anthony Rose

”It is not enough to fight. It is the spirit which we bring to the fight that decides the issue. It is morale that wins the victory”
General George C. Marshall

Marker Four:
Korean War 1950 – 1953
Merced County Citizens

World War II Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

3. World War II Marker

Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice for Their Country
Libby J. Bacaylan • Anthony E. Brown • Willie R. Cardenas • Edward R. Clark • Miguel S. Chavez • Joe P. Coelho • Ronald L. Dunn • Ralph Alan Ellis, Jr. • Virgle J. Evans • Louis P. Fausone • Joe L. Freitas • Joseph L. Helfin • Walter L. Hood • Billie R. Hudson • Elmer M. Lorenzo • Matthew Love • Keith A. Marvel • John A. Olivera • Jesse B. Sanchez • Kenneth E. Sawyer • Tony Tavares • James B. Triggs • Henri J. Vaschetto • Larry A. Weaver • Roy Wyatt
”Upon the fields of friendly strife, are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, on other days, will bear the fruits of victory.”
General Douglas McArthur

Marker Five:
Vietnam War 1964 – 1975
David M. Winters • Sherman D. Monk • John B. Ahern • Leslie E. Murray • Frank A. Celano • Arturo A. Nazabal Jr. • Timothy L. Collier • John A. Norris III • Jammie V. Franklin • Eddie J. Padilla • Reginald W. Fitchett • Ralph H. Padilla • Robert E. Freitas • Melvin D. Quinn • Peter J. Gallo • Dean N. Raschke • Robert W. Gibbins • William H. Reedy Jr. • Larry L. Goar • Charles A. Richardson • Richard Granados • Linus R. Roe • Steven T. Griggs • Dillard G. Rye • Fred G. Haug • Vernon D. Sandvig • Richard T. Havel • Walter J. Seidel • Felipe Hernandez • Wm Butch Scalon • Jerry L. Janeway • Jerry D. Sisco Jr.

Vietnam War Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

4. Vietnam War Marker

• Jimmie W. Jones • Jeffery Stowe • William E. Lawson • James J. Stroble • Larry P. Lussier • John H. Suydan III • David L. Martin Jr. • Raymond W. Templeton • John C. Martin • Raymond H. Tighe • Billy O. Mc Dougal • Francisco M. Trujillo • Melvin W. Mc Dowell • Juan B. Valtierra • Stephen W. Mc Kinley • Robert T. Vergano • John W. Mc Master IV • Wayne L. Bolte • Howard D. Stephenson • James J. Wright • Ralph Copeland • Wm. Butch Scanlon

It may be they served in a war they may not have agreed with or understood, yet they served
Merced County Patriots
Dedicated October 25, 1976
“I am happy to be here with my brothers, all the soldiers.”
Joe Maes

Marker Six:
Veterans for Freedom are not Forgotten
Karina S. Lau PFC U.S. Army, Age 20, Livingston, Nov 2, 2003, Iraq
Travis J. Layfield Lance CPL USMC, Age 19, Atwater, Apr 6, 2004, Iraq
Cesar A. Granados CPL U.S. Army, Age 21, Le Grand, Sept 17, 2006, Iraq
Joshua D. Pickard CPL USMC, Age 20, Merced, Dec 19, 2006, Iraq
Frank J. Gasper SSGT U.S. Army, Age 25, Merced, May 25, 2008, Iraq
Lukas C. Hopper SPC U.S. Army, Age 20, Merced, Oct 30, 2009, Iraq
Matthew T. Abbate SGT USMC, Age 26, Merced, Dec 2, 2010,

Iraq and Afghanistan Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

5. Iraq and Afghanistan Marker

Afghanistan
Vincent W. Ashlock SSG U.S. Army, Age 45, Merced, Dec 4, 2010, Afghanistan

Greater Love Has No One Than This

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: War, Korean • War, Vietnam • War, World I • War, World II.

Location. 37° 18.345′ N, 120° 29.016′ W. Memorial is in Merced, California, in Merced County. It is at the intersection of N Street and W 21st Avenue, on the right when traveling north on N Street. The granite markers are at the center of Courthouse Square Park. Touch for map. Memorial is in this post office area: Merced CA 95340, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in the San Joaquin Valley

and specifically in the Central Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Merced County Courthouse (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Merced Army Airfield (approx. ¼ mile away); Merced Assembly Center (approx. one mile away); A Comrade’s Tribute to Brig. Gen. Frederick W. Castle A.A.F. (approx. 6.4 miles away); Castle Memorial Parade Ground (approx. 6.4 miles away); Castle Air Force Base (approx. 6.6 miles away); The Montpelier-Oakdale Railroad (approx. 12.8 miles away).

Merced County Veterans Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

6. Merced County Veterans Memorial

Plaques at the base if the flagpole image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

7. Plaques at the base if the flagpole

Plaque at the base if the flagpole image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

8. Plaque at the base if the flagpole

In Memory of those Merced County Women who made the Supreme Sacrifice in the defense of the United State of America

Time Capsule Plaque Behind the Flagpole image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Horan of Gustine, California, August 9, 2022

9. Time Capsule Plaque Behind the Flagpole

Merced County Veterans Memorial Time Capsule
Sealed July 27, 1996
To be opened Memorial Day 2075

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. This page has been viewed 1,227 times since then and 119 times this year. Last updated on August 22, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 21, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. 7, 8, 9. submitted on August 22, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.