Flag of his father an honor

The Laguna Beach High School faculty stressed the importance of implementing a sense of history and tradition when it sponsored a Memorial Wall dedication at Dugger Gym on Friday.

Four Marine Corps color guards marched in celebration of the wall, which will be located in the historic North Gym, and will honor all Laguna Beach High alumni, faculty and staff, and students who served in the military.

The dedication was a surprise to Principal Don Austin, whose grandfather, Gerald Austin, was honored during the ceremony with a plaque and framed American flag, which will be displayed on the wall.

The flag had been given to Austin’s family with a Presidential Memorial Certificate in the 1960’s, more than 10 years after Gerald’s death.

Austin later donated the flag to the school’s gym.

His grandfather served in Navy during World War II.

Austin said the dedication was a huge surprise, and he is elated that the school will have a memorial for veterans.

“I am honored to have a piece of my family history forever connected to my Laguna Beach High School family,” he said.

“Our efforts to resurrect the history of this school could not be off to a better start.”

The wall currently displays the names of 12 alumni who served in the military, and it will later include those of all honorably discharged members of the military who are part of the Laguna Beach High community.

The idea for the dedication was proposed by faculty members Cathy Dunlap and Walt Hamera, who both share a connection with the military; Dunlap’s husband and Hamera served in the Marine Corps together during the Vietnam War.

Hamera said the school has long honored scholastics and sports, and it was time they honored members of the service as well.

“I was very excited about how respectful our kids were today,” he said.

“My biggest fear was that some might be unruly [during the dedication] but you could have heard a pin drop on the floor.”

Austin also said he was touched by how the faculty and staff came together to make the dedication happen.

“It is my understanding that this was a whole-staff effort. We are really starting to gel as a staff and community. This is a very special place, and I am lucky to be a part of it,” he said.

ASHLEY BREEDING can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or [email protected].