Hundreds of people attended the Veterans Day Remembrance Service in San Luis Obispo at the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum on Monday, just before noon.
“We gather today to honor the men and women who died to protect the United States of America,” said one of the announcers. Those in attendance watched the Cal Poly Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Program in their presentation of the colors and raising of the flag, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.
Those in attendance served in all branches of the military, from the Army and Marine Corps to the Navy and Air Force.
Fernando “Fernie” Monreal resides here along the California Central Coast, but says he grew up in near poverty in the Los Angeles region in the 60s, when he was touring in a band. He happened to be on stage at a gig in Dallas, TX, when his band manager interrupted the set and told Monreal he needed to call his dad.
“I call home and he says, yep, you got a letter from the government, and I figured taxes, and he said no, 'Greetings from the government, you just got drafted.' We got on our plane to go to Vietnam, we stopped in Hawaii, so I made my last phone call to my mom and dad,” Monreal explained.
He and his fellow soldiers spent a lot of time in underground bunkers, where they felt safe, but always feared the snakes. He shared a story about how a fellow soldier lost his life to a cobra snake.
“So I figured I’m not coming back,” he said.
And yet he did, but not to a warm welcome. He described returning to America, where Military Police escorted him off the plane. It never dawned on him that this was for his own protection. His fellow citizens spat on him as he left the area to get a ride home with his dad. He said it took quite some time until he could sleep through the night, given he lived in an area where even neighbors he knew as a child seemed to scorn him for something he did not sign up for; rather, he was drafted.
Unique stories like Monreal’s are all throughout the Central Coast Veteran’s Memorial Museum at 801 Grand Avenue in San Luis Obispo.
“People are welcome to come visit the museum and see this unique display that celebrates, memorializes, and honors all of those who gave that last full measure,” said Bart Topham, the museum's president and curator. “This is our people here on the Central Coast who gave their lives for the country.”
Topham and his team arranged an online auction that will raise funds for the museum. The auction includes more than 30 items and experiences, ranging in value from $50 to $3,000, such as wine and winery tours, golf packages, hunting trips, artwork, jewelry, and more, donated by local businesses, artists, and community members.
The mission of the nonprofit Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum is "to honor and remember Central Coast veterans, preserve local military history, maintain museum exhibits, and keep veteran stories alive for future generations."
Bidding is open now through May 30, 2026. Click here to view and bid on the auction items.
The San Luis Obispo Masons, officially known as “Masons of San Luis Obispo – King David's Lodge No. 209,” made a sizable donation to sponsor the memorial on Monday and provide the luncheon to attendees. The event was also co-sponsored by American Legion Post 66. Many other organizations donated their time as well, including the band Monreal played in, the Morro Bay White Caps Band.
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