Dateline>City of Angels

Remembering the Fallen at Old Savannah

May 26th, 2008 | Category: Notes and Observations

Rifles used in a 21-gun salute lie at rest in Rosemead’s Savannah Pioneer Cemetery. Situated at the end of the Old Spanish Trail that carried the Yankee wagon trains to Southern California, Savannah is among our region’s most historic graveyards — and unfortunately among the most threatened.

Today I attended a moving tribute to the many veterans buried there, some whose service hails back to the War of 1812. Later this week I’ll have a full update on the history and plight of Savannah. For now, I simply want to take time to honor those whose many sacrifices nurtured and preserved the freedoms we enjoy today.

I don’t normally gush with patriotism. But hearing the speeches of current and former soldiers, along with the jarring 21-gun salute and the mournful bugling of Taps, I couldn’t help but brush away a stray tear or two. It wasn’t so much a stirring of grief, but of great pride. There we were, standing together, people of every race, creed and background — descendants of pioneering families together with recent immigrants — all paying our shared gratitude to the fallen of history. Only the truly cynical could fail to appreciate such a moment.

In the end, there are really no words to capture the experience, except to say it was all so wondrously and uniquely…”American.”

3 Comments/Trackbacks so far...

  1. Janice Wiggins White June 2nd, 2008 11:43 am

    Mr. Imlay

    That was a wonderful article. Thank you so much for coming to our Memorial Day Ceremony and bringing it to the attenion of your readers. Memorial Day is one holiday that seems to have lost it’s true meaning and we hope that by holding this ceremony every year we will somehow bring back the tradition of honoring all of those who have defended our country, given so much for our nation as well as those who came over and settled here to give us our roots. Thank you again.
    Janice Wiggins White, Treasurer, El Monte Cemetery Assoc. (dba: Savannah Memorial Park)

  2. Michael Imlay June 2nd, 2008 12:22 pm

    Thanks, Janice. I really enjoyed my visit to Savannah. As I say in my post, I’m working on a more complete report about the cemetery and its current situation. It’s just taking a little longer than I expected. Hopefully, I’ll be posting it soon. — MI

  3. Anna Guess Pick June 5th, 2008 1:18 pm

    Mr. Imlay

    I am a descendant of one of the early pioneer families, John Guess. His grandson and my uncle, Sgt. John Guess, Jr. was awarded the DSC for extraordinary heroism during a battle in WWI in France. He lost his life soon after we was wounded and was buried in an American cemetery in France. Two years after the war ended his body was brought home to his final resting in Savannah Cemetery.

    I am so pleased that Memorial Day ceremony has been brought back to honour all of those that have served so proudly.

    I now reside in St. Louis, MO and was not able to attend the ceremony this year but I am pleased it was well covered and well attended. Thank you so much.

    Anna Guess Pick
    EMCA Board Member

Comment/message