In their honor, service

As a crowd gathered at the Veterans Memorial next to City Hall, government and military officials came together to remember three fallen Marines with ties to Huntington Beach. As the public, police and fire officials, and families of the three men looked on Monday, city, state and federal officials presented them with proclamations assuring them their fallen sons would never be forgotten.

The three men whose names are now chiseled in stone are: Sgt. William James, who was 24, killed by a gunshot wound in the Al Anbar province of Iraq in November 2004; Lance Cpl. Marcus Glimpse, 22 at the time, killed by an improvised explosive device during combat operations April 2006 in Khandari, part of the Al Anbar province; and Lance Cpl. Nathan Windsor, killed March 2007, at age 20, in Al Taqaddum part of the Al Anbar province. All were or had been residents of Huntington Beach.

“We honor three young men who entered into military service in the Marines during a time of war,” said Chief Warrant Officer Victor Ojeda, who commands the Marine reserve unit the 5th Battalion, 14th Marines.

“These young men speak to the character of our youth who join the military today knowing the uncertainties they face and the likelihood of deployment. “

State Sen. Tom Harman told attendees they underscored the city’s respect for its veterans.

“The presence here of Huntington Beach community members is tangible proof that we will not forget our fallen soldiers,” Harman said. “It’s important that we held this today and not on Veterans’ Day or Memorial Day or D-Day. It’s a day unconnected to any specific war or cause, meant to be a day holy on its own.”

The event moved Leslie Elliott, Windsor’s mother, who flew in from her home in Scappoose, Ore., to tears. She wore his dog tags around her neck during the ceremony, adding she never takes them off.

Though Windsor left Huntington Beach in the middle of high school, she said she was touched by the way the city remembered her son.

“It’s incredible, this honor,” she said. “My son lived half his life here. The fact that you remember him in this way means he’ll always be a part of this place.”