HONORED DEAD FAMILIES GAIN STRENGTH IN THEIR LOSSES.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - On a grassy grass·y adj. grass·i·er, grass·i·est 1. Covered with or abounding in grass. 2. Resembling or suggestive of grass, as in color or odor. Adj. 1. hillside above Sierra Highway Sierra Highway is a road in Southern California, United States. It runs from Tunnel Station near the north limit of the City of Los Angeles, where it intersects with San Fernando Road and Foothill Boulevard, as well as Interstate 5, and continues north to Mojave, mostly paralleling , the carnations, American flags and balloons placed with care on the graves speak for those who remember. They tell the men who are buried bur·y tr.v. bur·ied, bur·y·ing, bur·ies 1. To place in the ground: bury a bone. 2. a. To place (a corpse) in a grave, a tomb, or the sea; inter. b. there that they are loved and missed, that they made their mothers and fathers proud, that a community now owns and guards their memory. The tokens also say that for three Santa Clarita families who had never met each other until seven months ago - when their sons died just days apart in the battlefields of Iraq - today is a personal Memorial Day. ``We're personally attached to Memorial Day this year, because this is the first without our son,'' said Bob Slocum, father of Marine Lance Cpl. Richard Patrick ``Ricky'' Slocum, a 19-year-old Saugus High graduate who had lived in Valencia. ``There's not a day that goes by that doesn't trigger thoughts of our son.'' Ricky Slocum, a machine gunner for the 1st Battalion battalion Tactical military organization composed of a headquarters and two or more companies, batteries, or similar units and usually commanded by a field-grade officer such as a lieutenant colonel. , 3rd Marine Division, died on Oct. 24 near Abu Gharib when he was thrown from his Humvee as it negotiated a barrier. Bob Slocum said earlier this month that he and his family had the opportunity to attend a memorial service for Ricky and 48 other Marines and two Navy servicemen from the Kenoe Bay, Hawaii, base, who were killed in action. Slocum said he was touched by the depth of commitment and brotherhood among the Marines he met who knew Ricky. ``Our generation has been brought up with a feeling of national security,'' Slocum said. ``We get up every day and go to work to bring home a paycheck to support our families and put food on the table. But sometimes we don't really understand what enables us to do this. Since Oct. 24, we have a whole new appreciation of the word 'veteran.''' The feeling is the same for two other families: the family of Army Pfc. Cole W. Larsen, also 19 - a Canyon High School Canyon High School can refer to:
Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the of Newhall, a 21-year-old Hart High School Hart High School may refer to:
Vessels sailing under the protection of an armed escort. Since the 17th century, neutral powers have claimed the right of convoy in wartime, providing warships to escort their merchantmen and keep them secure from search or seizure. outside Baghdad. On Flores' headstone, beside two bunches of carnations, a small, pink heart-shaped metal charm was left by his name. ``It's no longer a day off, a day of barbecues,'' said Christi Larsen, Cole Larsen's mother. ``The whole reason for Memorial Day is you are remembering soldiers from the past, present and future.'' Larsen said her family will be in Washington, D.C., this Memorial Day, to take part in ceremonies organized by a group called TAPS, or Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. The group maintains a Web site so that families of those killed in the war can log on to chat rooms to comfort each other and seek advice. Since her son's death, Larsen said, she has found comfort in knowing that Cole made an impact, not only locally, but also abroad. During Iraq's first democratic election in January, she felt a sense of pride. ``I felt happy when they all stuck their fingers in the air, with the ink stains This article is about the French commune. For the town in Surrey, England, see Staines. For other uses, see Stain (disambiguation). Stains is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 11.6 km. (7.2 miles) from the center of Paris. on their fingertips "Fingertips" is a 1963 number-one hit single recorded live by "Little" Stevie Wonder for Motown's Tamla label. Wonder's first hit single, "Fingertips" was the first live, non-studio recording to reach number-one on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the United States. ,'' she said of the Iraqi people who voted, and the men and women who insured their safety to the polls. ``How do you describe something like that feeling? I felt like Cole had made a difference.'' At Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, up to 1,000 people are expected to gather for today's observance. Among the more than 700 names carved carve v. carved, carv·ing, carves v.tr. 1. a. To divide into pieces by cutting; slice: carved a roast. b. into the giant granite stone of the Veteran's Wall are those of Slocum, Larsen and Flores. ``Since 9-11, the attendance at Memorial Day has gone up,'' said Duane Harte, president of the Santa Clarita Veterans Memorial Committee. ``Now especially with three of our local boys killed, people could identify with war. All of a sudden, war is not an (obscure) concept with many of our young people anymore. It's a total reality. These men's lives impacted the community.'' Susan Abram, (661) 257-5255 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) On Veteran's Wall at Eternal Valley Memorial Park is the name of Ricky Slocum, a Marine who died in Iraq in October. (2 -- color) Slocum's parents, Kay and Robert Slocum, tend to their son's grave at Eternal Valley. Marine Lance Cpl. Ricky Slocum is one of an unfortunate many area natives whose sacrifices are being remembered this Memorial Day. (3) The Slocums visit their son's grave. ``We have a whole new appreciation of the word 'veteran,''' says his father. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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