Boulder City ceremony honors local veterans

By Dave Clark

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008 | 6:45 p.m.

Bagpipes played as flags were marched into the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery chapel Tuesday. Meeting them were the proud salutes of veterans, raising hands — some of them shaky — to their temples.

But age did not dampen any enthusiasm when the Nevada Opera Theatre Chorus and the Myron Heaton Chorale launched into a medley of the Armed Forces theme songs. Veterans were eager to sing and clap along, some even shouting out for an encore.

Boulder City Mayor Roger Tobler told the crowd he did not grow up in a military family, but he takes pride that the city is home to both the Nevada State Veterans Home and the veterans cemetery.

"It's taken on new meaning seeing the families of those who lost loved ones," Tobler said. "We need to make sure our gratitude does not sleep."

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said she has learned the meaning of sacrifice from her work with veterans. She shared the story of a young man who returned from Iraq suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and turned to drugs. While in a Veterans Affairs facility, he overdosed.

The Justin Bailey Act, named for that veteran, providing more funding for care of those with post-traumatic stress disorder passed this year, and Berkley played for the audience a tearful, thankful message from Bailey's family left on her cell phone.

"We cannot afford to let anybody, much less a veteran, fall through the cracks," she said.

Throughout the ceremony, Farideh Ghane waved a cardboard cutout of her son, 22-year-old Navy SEAL Alexander Ghane, who died last January. An emotional Ghane recalled how her son transformed himself through the military from what she described as a couch potato.

After Sept. 11, he embarked on an ambitious campaign to become a SEAL. Ghane was skeptical, she recalled.

"I said, 'The day that happens, I'll be Madame President of the United States,'" Farideh Ghane said.

He began running with rocks in a backpack, swam in cold water in December and quit playing video games. In 2006 he became a SEAL and addressed his mother as "Madame President," she said

Farideh Ghane said he died during a training exercise in Mississippi, when a gunshot pierced a bulletproof wall.

"He was my life," she said, as others hugged and consoled her. "He said he wanted to protect me and other mothers from bad people."

During the ceremony when veterans were recognized from each war, Larry Bauer remained standing for four. The 84-year-old was part of the World War II landing at Normandy, served during the Korean War, was in the Delta Force during the Vietnam War, and was recalled during the Gulf War, when he made special mines stateside.

He jokingly said he didn't have the brains to be anything but a career soldier.

Of D-Day, he said the worst thing was the deafening noise.

"I was too young to be scared," Bauer said. "I didn't know any better."

Bill Baumann of the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 12, who led the ceremony, closed the events by urging those assembled to utter two simple words: Thank you.

"That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded," he said.

While veterans gathered to chat after the ceremony, Armena Anderson, 66, went to the grave of her late husband to plant a flag. Glen Anderson, who died 10 years ago, had served on the front lines in the infantry during the Korean War.

"I feel both sad and happy that I'm here meeting my husband," she said.

Dave Clark can be reached at 990-2677 or [email protected].