Santa Ana College Honors Veterans and their Legacy on Veterans Day
In recognition of Veterans Day, Santa Ana College (SAC) extends its deepest gratitude to veterans within our student body, staff, faculty, and the surrounding community. We honor those who serve and have served, for demonstrating heroism and unwavering commitment while fighting for the country's freedom.
Santa Ana's heritage is deeply intertwined with the sacrifices and legacy of its veterans. During World War II, Santa Ana became a key military hub with the establishment of the Santa Ana Army Air Base, one of the largest military training sites on the West Coast. This base trained thousands of young men and women from Santa Ana in essential roles such as pilots, navigators, and mechanics, all of whom served the United States with dedication.
Many individuals who came to be servicemen and women grew up in neighborhoods like Logan Barrio in Santa Ana and attended local schools, including SAC. Veterans and veteran families alike have stayed in the Santa Ana area for years, continuing to celebrate and commemorate the veteran community and its heroes.
We take this time to honor veterans and their unique stories with a story that was shared at the Veterans Day Resource Fair at SAC on Oct. 24, 2024— the story of the Lopez and Macias family who exemplified heroism in their lives through their commitment to the United States.
Three brothers and their sister Madelene Macias, who has now become a prominent leader and organizer in the Veteran community, grew up in Cypress Street Barrio in Orange.
Manuel Macias was a Vietnam War veteran who attended Santa Ana College from 1971 to 1973. He transferred to Cal State Fullerton and later went on to Long Beach State University, earning degrees from both schools.
Jack Lopez was a Gold Star recipient of World War II. He was killed in action in Okinawa, Japan. Lopez was awarded the Purple Heart. He originally had plans to enroll in Santa Ana College before he was drafted. Their brother, Clyde Lopez, also served as a veteran in Saipan, Japan.
They are just an example of the individuals deeply rooted in the Santa Ana veteran community. Their impactful stories are a few among the many veterans who we honor and celebrate on this day.
Santa Ana is home to a 24-by-27-foot mural “Among Heroes" which was created by artist Carlos Aguilar in 2013. Originally envisioning a tribute to 40 Mexican-American World War II veterans, Aguilar expanded his project to honor 160 men and women due to an outpour of community support for his mural.
Aguilar was able to create lifelike, accurate portraits by working with family-provided photographs, capturing each veteran's likeness with respect and detail.
Aguilar expressed his commitment to highlighting the contributions of Mexican Americans in the U.S. military, who are too often forgotten. Made possible through community donations, the mural has become a “mini-war memorial for Orange County's soldados," a meaningful site where veterans can visit to honor and share memories of their experiences in the war.
This Veterans Day, SAC reflects on our shared history with veterans and the veteran community and expresses profound respect for our veterans, celebrating their legacy and their unwavering dedication to freedom.
For those interested in Veterans resources, please see the Veterans Resource Center homepage. For those interested in sharing their personal veteran story or the story of a loved one who is a veteran, please inquire with Young Kim at kim_young@sac.edu.
