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Desert Hot Springs, Calif. - Local dignitaries and business leaders honored our military heroes at Veterans Park last Thursday with a colorful, flag-waving ceremony. About 100 people attended and all were surprised when four military fighter planes from World War II flew over the crowd midway through the ceremony. 

“Stop, everyone, look up! We’ve got a flyby!” said Desert Hot Springs Mayor Scott Matas excitedly and pointing to the sky. The speaker, Bishop Shepard stopped, the crowd looked up and watched in amazement as the military planes flew slowly from the southeast then turned west past the crowd and then south back over the city towards the airport and Palm Springs Air Museum. 

“Wow, that was fantastic,” said Mindy Salas, a longtime Desert Hot Springs native. “Did they choreograph that?” she asked.  No, they did not choreograph it for the mayor and other dignitaries were all surprised by the flyover. “Maybe it’s a sign from above.” 

After Bishop Shepard finished his heart-felt prayer for the veterans who served our country, it was Royal Emerald Pharmaceuticals Founder and CEO Mark Crozier who stole the show with a real-life story about his 40 years serving as a U.S. Army Ranger and as a federal police chief. Crozier said he was the only man in his Ranger unit who made it back alive (of six guys) and that he thinks about his buddies every day. 

“I got to come back and can enjoy cheeseburgers, but they can’t,” Crozier told the crowd, noting that cheeseburgers where his favorite meal. “We get to enjoy the freedoms (every day) that they died for. All you veterans out there know what I’m talking about. You know what I feel. You know exactly what I’m saying.”  Crozier then presented a check for $1,000 to the Desert Hot Springs Community Task Force for the Shea’s Veteran Center. “I want to buy every veteran over there a nice meal today,” Crozier said when he presented the check to Judy Shea, the president of the Shea’s Veteran Center.  

“Thank you so much,” Shea said upon accepting the check and then joked, “Maybe we’ll take them to In-N-Out for cheeseburgers.”  The crowd erupted with laughter and applause. 

The Desert Hot Springs High School Junior ROTC presented the colors and military flags while retired U.S. Marine Corps Sandpiper Joel M. Daniel played the bagpipe for the crowd. The national anthem and “America the Beautiful” was sung by local soprano Kristen Ashley Wieste, and an original poem was read by Tre Terry. Eddie Johnson, a local veteran retired from the U.S. Army spoke a few words noting his fallen brothers who are duly celebrated on Memorial Day while those who made it back alive are celebrated on November 11^th. 

Thirteen American flags lined the walkway into the park to commemorate our 13 fallen soldiers from the military exit of Afghanistan with a special tribute to our local hero, Cpl. Hunter Lopez of Indio.