by Kayla Sheldon on 2015-09-09
Local George Leon was honored this summer, on June 17, as his very own military banner was officially installed to be shown throughout the Colton community.
Leon, born and raised in Colton, was drafted into the Army a few years after graduating from Colton High School in 1963.
Drafted in April of 1966, he served for two years, until 1968. Leon shared that he started off as an infantryman; however, he volunteered for a special assignment in which he was sent to Vietnam for 10 months.
He was in the 25th infantry division and was responsible for one very important task.
“Every time our unit got hit, they sent us out,” he said, as he referred to his crew as the "Combat Tracker Team."
“We would go out, find the trails they left behind and follow them. We’d bring out our scout dog, a Labrador Retriever,” he explained. “I ran into a lot of ambushes. I am so lucky that I came back.”
However, Leon did get wounded when he fell into a bungee pit/trap.
Two of his replacements were killed and so was his favorite scout dog “Bodie."
“I was real upset when I heard about that,” he added.
Leon spent his last two months in the army at Fort Drum in New York in which he spent that time "cold weather training."
When asked if he enjoyed his overall experience in the Army, Leon shared, “I did and I didn’t… a lot of my friends didn’t come back. I was just so lucky.”
After his instrumental service in the Army, Leon got married to his wife Delores and had three kids including: one set of twins, Robert, and Veronica and his oldest daughter Monica. He also had various jobs over the years; however, he worked at Kaiser Steel for seventeen years and then spent seventeen years at the Nuclear Plant in San Onofre.
It was his entire family's idea to get him his own military banner installed. His family got one for his older brother, who served in the Korean War; therefore, they got one for Leon, as well.
He explained that many family members and friends were able to come out and support him at the ceremony. Even Colton’s Mayor Richard Delarosa joined the festivities and greeted him.
“I’m very thankful for the people that support our troops,” Leon shared.
Leon is also a part of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW 6467). His fellow members didn’t only show their support by attending his ceremony, but they also made him a customized award with a picture of everyone displayed on it.
After the official installation, they all had a small get-together at their Post. “We made a whole day out of it,” he said.
“I just want to thank everybody for coming out. This is a great honor for me. For all my buddies that never came back, I am sorry for them and their families.”
Leon added, “I’m very proud every time we pass the banner. It reminds me of the old times.”