A Tribute: Remember the Fallen
Tom Hatton
Founder & President Clean Vapor / Founder Vapor Dynamics / President & Founding Member - Association of Vapor Intrusion Professionals (AVIP)
San Diego is one of my favorite places, and I get to visit often as many of our industry's symposiums and conferences are held there. I prefer to take an early flight out, arrive at midday, and transition from the 8 hours of travel by exploring the cliffs and tidal pools of Cabrillo National Park. The entrance to Cabrillo is through the Fort Rosecrans Cemetery–often referred to as the “Arlington of the West.”
Traveling through the cemetery is a sobering reminder of the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women. From the visitor center on top of the hill, you can look down over San Diego Bay and the Navy Base at Coronado, but not without first grasping the magnitude of the thousands of pristine white military grave markers.
On one of my trips to San Diego, I was fortunate enough to see a submarine going out to sea. At first, all the sailors were standing on deck, until one by one, they disappeared into the hatch just before it submerged. It was a tribute to our men and women currently serving.
When leaving Cabrillo Park, I often stop and walk the rows of marble markers, read the dates of service and reflect on the lives and sacrifices made. As I witness the soft light of the setting sun over the tranquil waters of the Pacific, my mind wanders to what these veterans might have endured. I cannot help but think about places like Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Heartbreak Ridge, Khe Sanh, Mosul, and Kabul, and how those on this hill left aboard boats and aircraft, only to make the trip home draped in a flag.
Our freedoms are not free. They were bought and paid for by the men and women whose bodies lay below those markers. Their sacrifice has helped make our country the greatest place on earth and given us the freedoms we enjoy today. We honor them by not squandering what they died for. I challenge you: the next time you have an opportunity to visit San Diego, take the early morning flight, visit the Fort Rosecrans Cemetery, and thank the men and women beneath the marble markers.
Please enjoy this Memorial Day with your family and remember those who sacrificed all.
Tom Hatton
CEO, Clean Vapor LLC