Veterans Day in Berkeley

How Cal rembers its freedom fighters

By Christopher Page
From the November 2006 Print Edition

It is unfortunate that at such an accomplished and famed university as UC Berkeley the campus population is highly anti-military. Luckily, these radicals do not have complete control over the campus. There are a few memorials at Cal that do honor its veterans.

Our tour starts at Sather Tower. Next to the entrance is a stone bench to honor those from Cal who fought in World War I. The bench is the only place on campus you will see a sad or crying bear. At the time the bench was dedicated, it was simply referred to as The Great War. The builders, like so many people, hoped it would be the last full-scale war. They hoped the sacrifices made by their countrymen would end war for all time. While battle and sacrifice would continue, so would the selfless service of our men and women in the armed forces.

Just down the path from the Campanile sits Memorial Glade, the next war monument dedicated at the university. Lying in front of the main entrance to Doe Library, its mission is to honor the faculty, staff, and students who served in Word War II. The great brass seals along the paths of the Glade serve to remind passers-by what the hallowed ground is there to honor.

Past the great brass seals and Memorial Glade is an oft-forgotten place. A circular reflecting pool of water sits in silent vigil for those students, faculty, and staff who lost their lives in World War II.

Next on the tour is a rock near Zellerbach Hall that bears a plaque reminding us of those who fought and died in the Korean War. One of those who served in Korea was Major General William F. Dean. Graduating from Berkeley in 1922, Dean began a career of service that lasted over thirty years. Previously, in World War II, he was division commander of the 44th Infantry Division. In this position, Dean was aggressive in defeating Nazi forces.

In Korea, as commanding general of the 24th Infantry Division, General Dean organized a delaying action at Teajon to give units in the rear more time to prepare an effective defense. Dean stayed with his troops to personally oversee the fighting. He put himself in danger, leading tank killer squads and disabling North Korean tanks with only a hand grenade and his pistol. General Dean got separated from his men and was captured after a month of hiding behind enemy lines.

With no news of his status, Dean was declared missing in action. In the North Korean POW camps, the guards had no concern for the Geneva Convention rules. They cruelly interrogated Dean and tried to convert him to communism. However, all their efforts were in vain; the dogface soldier would not give in. At the end of the conflict, Dean was released and returned home to a hero’s welcome. For his role in the defense of Teajon, Dean was awarded the Medal of Honor.

While General Dean received national acclaim in his lifetime, few veterans receive such thanks. Each of the memorials on campus was constructed and dedicated 50 years after the conflict they remind us of. While the placement of these memorials serves a very strong need to remember those who sacrificed so that we could enjoy our freedoms, perhaps the 50-year interval is too great. The passage of time obscures the sharpness of the loss. Every day, veterans of previous wars leave us. Such heroes can be consoled if the monuments are dedicated during their lives.

In a few years, all we will have left are the monuments and the freedom they renewed for a generation. Before it is too late, we must remember to thank those who dedicated a few years of their lives for our benefit.

As the story of General Dean and the memorials remind us, our freedom is not free. It was the toil and sacrifice of young men and woman that liberated Europe from Nazism. As we remember this Veterans Day, let us pray that we will not have to mourn the loss of any more brave men and woman from Cal who fell in combat. Let us hope that the work of our forbears to keep us free is one step closer to being finished. The freedom we have now is all because of our veterans. The Patriot thanks you for your service.

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