USC President Carol Folt poses with attendees at the university’s 16th annual gala for veterans, servicemembers and ROTC students. (USC Photo/Steve Cohn)
Gala brings together generations of USC veterans, service members and ROTC students
The 16th annual evening of celebration, tributes and tradition features mutual respect and admiration.
Less than three months before his 100th birthday, World War II veteran and USC alumnus Yoshio Nakamura received an ovation when he was recognized during USC’s 16th annual gala for veterans, service members and ROTC students on Thursday.
Among those cheering loudest was U.S. Air Force ROTC cadet Tyler Malley, who was sitting at a boisterous table in the back of the ballroom at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles with a group of fellow cadets.
“It is really humbling to look at all these people who have come before us and everything they’ve been through,” Malley, a senior at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, said in an interview. “It’s really cool meeting them and having them show up and cheer us on too.”
Nakamura and Malley were part of an often-moving gathering of several generations of past, current and future members of the military at the annual dinner, which drew more than 500 people.
The event was filled with toasts, speeches and the presentation of medals for service by USC President Carol Folt to five surprised veterans in the audience.
“I’d like to begin by thanking the Trojans who dedicated their lives to defending our great nation and protecting our freedoms,” Folt said during her opening remarks. “This is such a proud tradition.”
Unexpected moments in the spotlight
The surprise medals presented before dinner were the evening’s emotional highlight. From the stage, Folt noted praised the veterans’ lives of “valor and courage,” reading a short biography of each as USC Board of Trustees member Frank Cruz placed a medal around the neck of each veteran as they stood at their table.
“I was totally shocked and surprised,” U.S. Marine veteran Edward A. Perez Romero said after receiving his. “I was just coming here to just celebrate with everybody else, and all of a sudden I find myself in the limelight.”
Romero was sitting with his grandson, Christian Romero, a junior at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences who is studying intelligence and cyber operations and works at USC’s Veterans Resource Center.
“I am glad those who served in Vietnam are finally getting the respect they deserve,” Christian Romero said. “When they came home, it wasn’t a welcome home. That this can happen now is so great because it’s not lost on any of us what he and the others did.”
Fellow honoree U.S. Army veteran Harold Nelson was sharing a table with his granddaughter, USC Dornsife junior Hannah Nelson, a member of USC’s Army ROTC who is currently ranked No. 1 in her cadet class.
“I’m really proud of him,” Nelson said of her grandfather. “It’s a long time coming and a really good opportunity to show him how much he means to the nation that he fought for for so long.”
U.S. Air Force veteran Mark Randol, a USC Viterbi instructor with 35 years of military and federal service, was in tears after receiving his medal.
“I’m absolutely speechless and so surprised,” Randol said after the presentation. “I was honored that they even invited me to come, but to include me in that group was very, very special.”
Also receiving medals were USC alumni Robert Katon, a submariner in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, and Byron D. Foreman, who first served in the U.S. Air Force and then in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
Sitting with Foreman was his son-in-law, USC Vice Provost for Academic Operations Mark Todd. “The dedication to his country and to his family is something that I aspire to and is typical of his generation,” Todd said.
Military records of legendary Trojans
The evening’s keynote speaker, retired U.S. Army Gen. Robert B. Brown, paid tribute to the 99-year-old Nakamura, who was seated at a table near the front of the ballroom.
A double Trojan, Nakamura is one of the last surviving Nisei soldiers of World War II who fought for their country even as the U.S. government forced many of their family members to live in incarceration camps back home.
“It is such an honor to have you here, sir,” Brown said to Nakamura from the stage. “It is unbelievable.”
Brown also asked all the Vietnam veterans in the audience to stand for an ovation. As a group, many encountered indifference, hostility and a lack of recognition for their service from a nation that was deeply divided by the war.
“We can never thank you enough,” Brown said.
Brown went on to shine a light on the “selfless service” of three late Trojans, starting with U.S. Army Capt. Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who survived 47 days at sea and more than two years in Japanese POW camps. His story was told in the book and the feature film Unbroken.
“He would set the example of forgiveness and incredible courage until he passed away in 2014 at the age of 97,” Brown said of Zamperini.
Brown also spoke of Ben Salomon, who served in World War II and saved lives but was ineligible for a Medal of Honor due to his role as a medical officer (he was honored posthumously in 2002), and of Iris Cummings Critchell, a USC graduate and Olympic swimmer who joined the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II. Critchell advocated for female pilots and inspired future generations. She died earlier this year in Claremont at the age of 104.
Brown, who was commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, expressed optimism about the future of military service despite challenges in recruitment. He emphasized the importance of the less than 1% of the population who serve in the military.
“Freedom isn’t free,” he said. “There are countless stories of incredible, selfless service in our nation’s history, across all our branches of military.”
