Memorial Day Wall Honoring Canoga Park High Students to Possibly Include Names of Non-Graduates

For about eight years at the Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade, a laminated wall is placed around the start of the event that lists the names of fallen servicemen and women who graduated from Canoga Park High School. The wall mimics the one that lies within the school and includes 44 names, from those who served in World War II all the way through to Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

Names have been added over the years, but as a parade organizer and retired United States Navy Cpt. Bill Ratner explained to the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol, there are discussions to recognize Canoga Park High students who joined the military before graduating and died while serving their country.

“The wall might expand by another 15 to 20 members if the research works out right and the historical society here in Canoga Park works with the high school to do that,” Ratner said. “It’s a very beneficial relationship between the [Canoga Owensmouth] Historical Society and the high school that we want to keep going because it helps build the foundation for why it is [so important] that we’re putting names on a wall.”

If everything works out, the hope is to have those new names included on the wall in time for next year’s parade. 

Ratner said that the memorial wall is why the event is a “hometown parade” – to honor those service members. He explained that when parade participants pass by it, they are asked to pause for a moment so they can “contribute to the meaning of Memorial Day. It’s not just a parade.”

And it’s not just another federal holiday to Canoga Park High, either. In addition to the wall, the school has its own program that’s been ongoing for more than two decades, where on the Friday before Memorial Day, students gather in the center of the quad and release balloons into the air – one for each name. 

Families of the fallen service members also attended the ceremony, Ratner continued, including the Berwager and Bedal families. At the Memorial Day Parade, they were given their own seats to watch the festivities and also provided with the wreath that was displayed in front of the laminated wall that they could take back to their family members’ graves.

With Canoga Park High Principal Nidia Castro being one of the many dignitaries to give opening remarks before the start of the parade, to the school’s marching band and cheerleading team being near the front of the parade, Ratner explained it’s about putting Canoga Park first. 

That isn’t to say that the parade doesn’t include communities outside Canoga Park. Students from the James Monroe High School Police Academy Magnet in North Hills joined the event, as well as numerous classic cars and lowriders from various car clubs. A couple of cheerleaders from the Los Angeles Rams also made an appearance alongside Rampage, the team’s mascot.

Looking ahead, Ratner said they are looking to “raise the bar” on who will be their grand marshal for the parade. This year, it was retired Navy Rear Adm. Mike Shatynski. In a previous year, they had Maj. Gen. Peter Gravett, who was also an LA Police Department (LAPD) officer and a Medal of Valor recipient. 

“It doesn’t have to be a general officer or an admiral,” Ratner said. “I’d love to be able to bring a Medal of Honor winner to the parade. I would like to bring other significant veterans to the parade who have some recognition so that we can draw contributors and participants.”

Ratner is also hoping to form a small committee consisting of previous grand marshals, each of whom can bring their experience to contribute to the parade and who already know “the quality of the product we’re looking for.”