Council News

Santa Clara Valley Council attends tribute to fallen Navy SEALs...

The Santa Clara Council was fortunate to attend a Gathering of Eagles in Cupertino California. The event was a dedication of the Cupertino Veteran’s Memorial, a tribute to two fallen Navy SEALs, killed in the worst special operations loss of life in Afghanistan, where 19 were lost.

The parents of the fallen SEALs, the City of Cupertino, and the local community came together in a way seldom seen. But the focus was all Navy and Navy mission and values. Mrs. Donna Axelson, mother of fallen SEAL Matthew Axelson, was the driving force behind the wish to give a memorial to all veterans -- not only to her son. With only a few weeks to go before the dedication, our Council received word of the dedication and we immediately made plans to attend. We offered our support to the planners, and became friends in the process.

William Schultz, president of the Santa Clara Valley Council, met SECNAV Winter and pledged the Council's support for the Navy's return to the Valley. Santa Clara, former home to NAS Moffett Field, is a Navy Region. The attendees of the dedication also spoke for the Valley. Thousands were in attendance. Twenty miles away, in San Jose, the area had the largest Veterans’ Day Parade west of the Mississippi River, with a reported 20,000 attending.

Our Council asked the SECNAV to consider an extension of Fleet Week or to create a Navy Week of our own in our area. We have a county of 1.4 million residents, most of whom are patriotic and receptive of Navy values. We have some of the richest companies in the world, and are home to some of the largest defense contractors. Santa Clara is 'a natural' for such an important event.