In his 2022 Veterans Day proclamation, Gov. Gavin Newsom reported the Golden State is home to a whopping 1.6 million veterans, the most of any state in the country. A tiny percentage from this large pool of veterans, a little over a dozen, gathered at the Bell Tower in Downieville on Nov. 11 to pay tribute to those who previously served but died during the year. Carrying the tradition of her late husband, Pastor Bernie Stringer, Sierra City's Patti Stringer solemnly stood reading the names of recently passed veterans. At the same time, Robert Hall rang the bell for veteran Jay Markum, age 81, a Korean War veteran from Loyalton, and for Robert Burns, a Vietnam War veteran, age 83, from Downieville.

Marching from the Bell Tower to the Community Hall in a dignified fashion and circling back the way they came, the veterans finally took their ease at the Two Rivers Pizza restaurant to conclude the march and have lunch. Resident Laurie Kelley held the Coast Guard flag, as a veteran of this branch was unavailable on site. Sierra City's young Jackson Stringer carried the POW flag.

Frank Lang

Downieville resident and veteran Frank Lang closed festivities at the pizza parlor with sentiments of thanks and gratitude for the sacrifice each veteran in attendance made for their country. It is worth noting this pillar of the community, Frank Lang, spent six years in the United States Air Force and six years in the United States Army and faithfully served this for ten years, retiring as a commander in the United States Public Health Service. One highlight of the 2022 Veterans Day proclamation made by Governor Gavin Newsom is the reminder that his administration initiated the $50 million California Veterans Health Initiative to support veteran mental health and suicide prevention.