 Mike Bertell
Born in Burbank and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Mike Bertell enlisted in the United States Army in the summer of 1969. Deployed to the Bay of Cam Ranh on the central coast of South Vietnam with the 4/9th 25th Infantry Division, Charlie Company, Bertell operated in the South from the City of Cu Chi. He was with the 25th Infantry Division for about two months and then reassigned to the 1/327th Battalion, 101st Airborne Division Alpha Company. During the Vietnam War, the 101st Airborne Division fought in several major battles, including the figtht for Hamburger Hill. Bertell operated up North near the city of Hue on Camp Eagle, working off several fire bases including Bastogne, Camp Evans, Birmingham and Checkmate. Most of his time was spent in the jungles of Vietnam. “Still carrying the scars of combat”, Bertell is currently the post leader of Point Man Ministries and on the board of officers for the Antelope Valley Mobile Vietnam Wall. He was also on the board of the Lancaster Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, where he served for 20 years.
 Nick Callas
Born in Salt Lake City Utah, Nick Callas joined the United States Air Force in 1965 at the age of 18. Callas was sent to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he was put on a fast-track basic training course due to the demands of war in Southeast Asia. In 1965, Callas was sent to Gunter Air Force Base in Alabama where he trained as a field medic/corpsman. He graduated that same year and made his way west to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where he was permanently assigned. The following year he was stationed at Cam Ranh Bay Airbase in Vietnam where he did three 90-day tours. These “temporary assignments” were primarily to maintain the troop numbers as squadrons rotated out and again back into the Airbase. In January of 1969, Callas was honorably discharged from the Air Force.
 Donald H. LaFond
Born in 1923 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Donald H. LaFond joined the United States Marine Corps in 1943 at the age of 19, where he spent his time in San Diego for boot camp. That same year, he was sent to Hawaii to join the 2nd Marine Division. LaFond was sent to Saipan, the largest island of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. He arrived on June 14, 1944, the day before the start of the Battle of Saipan, which began on June 15 and lasted until July 9, 1944. After the war ended in 1945, LaFond was sent to occupy Nagasaki, Japan, where he stayed until December of 1945. He was honorably discharged on January 7, 1946 and in 2011 was awarded the Patriot of the Year for the State of California and The Western United States. LaFond continues to remain active as a Veterans Affairs advocate.
 Fred Lionetti
Born in 1926 in Lower Manhattan, New York, Fred Lionetti joined the United States Navy in 1944 at the age of 17, where he was transferred to the 139th Naval Construction Battalion in Oxnard, California. The “Seabees” have a history of building a myriad of construction projects dating back to World War II. It was Lionetti’s battalion that was involved with the invasion of Okinawa, an 82 day long battle lasting from April until June in 1945. Lionetti became a Petty Officer while in Okinawa and was in charge of transportation. He stayed in Okinawa until the end of 1945 when he was transferred to a naval base in New Hampshire. He was honorably discharged in July of 1946 on Lido Beach, New York. Lionetti received the American Theatre Medal, Victory Medal and Asiatic Pacific Medal with 1 Star.
 Chuck Morris
Born in Chicago, Chuck Morris made his way to Southern California in 1948 and has lived here since. A graduate from North Holywood High School in 1952, he was immediately drafted into the United States Army. Assigned to Fort Lewis in Washington as a tank driver, Morris’ platoon was ordered to Korea just shortly after. Morris was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 1954. An advocate for veterans, Morris has spearheaded efforts to bring the Vietnam War Memorial to the Santa Clarita Valley. On September 26 through September 29, the American Veteran Traveling Tribute Vietnam Memorial Wall will make its home in Santa Clarita temporarily, thanks to Morris and the Friendly Valley Veterans Club. Morris has dedicated the last year raising funds to bring the memorial to the SCV for local residents and veterans to experience.
 Robert Vernon Scobie
Born and raised on a small farm in Ohio, Robert Vernon Scobie enlisted in the United States Marine Corp at the age of 19. It was at boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina, where he was assigned to the number one Senior Drill Instructor in the Marine Corps and he was also the Platoon Guide. In December of 1965, Scobie received his Gold Wings as a marine fighter pilot and went directly into the VMF (AW) 235, otherwise known as the “Death Angels”, arriving on the DaNang Air Base in Vietnam in October of 1966. A few months later, Scobie was assigned to a ground unit of his choice, where he was a Forward Air Controller, the Artillery Forward Observer and the Battalion CO’s “Problem Solver”. Scobie’s battalion was operating 17 miles southwest of Danang and was covering the main infiltration route from the Ho Chi Min Trail.
 Dana Stobin
Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Dana Stobin enlisted in the United States Navy at the end of the draft. After boot camp, Stobin completed his corpsman training and was transferred to Travis Air Force Base in California, and later sent to Saigon. Stobin was wounded in action and sent to the Oakland Naval Hospital where he was told he might lose his leg. Nearly 12 surgeries later, the Navy veteran still has his leg. Stobin received a letter of commendation for stopping a stranger from entering the engine room of his ship. The stranger was a 2 Star Base commander. Stobin was later honorably discharged from the Navy.
 Todd Sharbutt
In 1987, Todd Sharbutt enlisted in the United States Navy. After attending Basic Recruit training in Orlando, Florida, he completed Radioman Class “A” school in San Diego before heading to Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL (BUD/S) training. Sharbutt graduated in 1989, and after attending Army Basic Airborne training, was assigned to SEAL Team THREE, Hotel Platoon. Master Chief Sharbutt is qualified as a SEAL, Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist and a graduate of the Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy. Sharbutt’s decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with Valor (3), Joint Service Achievement Award (3), Navy Achievement Medal (2) Combat Action Ribbon (3), Expert Rifleman Medal, Expert Pistol Medal and numerous campaign awards.
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