Perfect tribute

Deepa Bharath

Ron Donahue’s lips quivered as he lowered his head to what he called

“the saddest sound ever.”

As Costa Mesa High School student Thomas Kosnosky played Taps,

Donahue bowed his head, and a couple of tears dripped down onto his

shoes.

It was the Korean War veteran’s first time at the annual Veterans

Day tribute put on by the students of St. John the Baptist School in

Costa Mesa.

The program touched him, Donahue said.

“I was stirred by the patriotic music,” he said. “It’s so

emotional for me. It’s hard to sit there and not shed a few tears.”

St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, adjoining the school,

was packed with parents, students and guests Thursday afternoon for

the event. Veterans occupied the first few rows. The program featured

patriotic music by children, kindergarten through eighth grade, and

words from keynote speaker Jim Pilkenton, a Vietnam War veteran.

Pilkenton became emotional when he talked about his father, a

World War II veteran.

“This is the box where his Purple Heart was,” he said. “It’s empty

now. I placed it with him in his casket.”

His father suffered war wounds, but returned home, Pilkenton said.

The veterans said the program was spirited and enjoyable. Charles

Sanders, a Korean War veteran, said he enjoyed the Song of the Armed

Forces Medley, which the children sang. The song is basically a shout

out to all branches of the armed forces -- the Army, Navy, Air Force,

Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Veterans and members of each of the

armed forces stood up as their respective songs were sung and were

greeted with a hearty applause from the rest of the audience.

“It’s gratifying to be recognized like this,” said Sanders, whose

grandson is a student at the school. “You don’t think about

recognition when you go to war at age 19. But it’s nice now.”

Frances Johnson, a U.S. Navy nurse during World War II and the

Korean War, said she has attended the school’s program every year.

“There’s nothing like this out there,” she said. “This is it.”

Don Shoenberger, who was stationed with the Army in Europe during

World War II, said his perpetual prayer is for world peace.

“I was 18 when I went out there,” he said. “It was a great

experience. But it’s something I’d never want me or anyone else to go

though again.”

The students learned a lot in just preparing for the program over

the last month, said eighth-grader Katie Galassi.

“We learn about all this in history class,” she said. “It’s great

to have these veterans come here. They deserve to be honored after

all these years of service.”

Student Ben LeFebvre said it moves him to see the veterans touched

by what the students do.

“We try to let them know we recognize and appreciate what they’ve

done for us and our country,” he said. “Participating in this program

motivates me to be patriotic.”

Music teacher Yvette Itano said the students showed a lot of

enthusiasm for the program.

“The kids were very excited,” she said. “They would ask me almost

every day, ‘Are we rehearsing today?’ They wanted to get it right,

and they wanted it to be perfect.”

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

She may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or by e-mail at

[email protected].