Just a few months after President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared an official end to the United States’ involvement in World War II, Scott Emerson joined in the U.S. Navy at age 15.
He had lied about his age so that he could enlist and dutifully serve in the Navy.
After a brief naval career, he finished up a better part of his 20- year military service in the Air Force, before retiring in National City where he helped raise his seven children.
This was the extent of what his son Larry Emerson knew about his father, who hardly ever talked to his kids, or anyone else about his military duties.
Through research, Larry Emerson, 63, of National City, and his siblings found out that their Dad fought in the Battle of Okinawa. Scott Emerson was part of Patrol Craft 598, where he assisted with coordinating communications among different war ships.
For Emerson’s dedication to his country, Larry Emerson felt it was only right to honor his father with a custom tile along National City’s Veteran’s Wall of Honor at the corner of 12th Street and D Avenue.
Community members purchased commemorative tiles along the Veteran’s Wall of Honor to recognize military veterans and their families.
On Monday morning, exactly a week from Memorial Day, engravers were out engraving the memorial tiles like that of Scott Emerson’s that read: “Honoring our father Scott W Emerson. Navy at Age 15, 1942 WWII Pacific to ’45. Joined Air Force ’46 served until 1964.”
Larry Emerson showed up to the Veteran’s Wall of Honor just passed noon that day to preview the tiles for himself.
He said he was proud of his father’s service to his country and wanted his dad’s military service to live on.
“He didn’t tell us much about his service and when we found out all about it we were very proud of what he did,” he said. “In this way, ( with the commemorative tiles) we are honoring him.”
On Monday afternoon, engravers were putting a template on Emerson’s tile as it got ready for engraving. The tile was engraved with black paint on a smoky gray tile.
Engravers estimated 50 tiles were completed earlier this week. A National City spokeswoman said more tiles are available for purchase. An 8X8 tile with up to six lines of text or 19 characters per line and military logo costs $65. A smaller tile 4X8 tile with up to three lines of text with 19 characters per line and no military logo costs $35.
The custom tiles are part of a revamp to the Veterans Memorial Wall. The memorial wall was first dedicated in 1948 and rededicated on Dec. 7, 2015 after the plaques were stolen, and once recovered refurnished and had a full rededication to the wall.
Larry Emerson said he and his siblings would always cherish their father’s name on the tiles.
“I appreciate the city doing this. It gives us a chance to honor him. Whenever his seven kids come visit National City, they are going to come see that ( the memorial tiles.)”
The military has also been a big part of Luz Ramirez’s life. She spent four years in the Navy, where she met her husband who is still serving in the Navy at 20-years. Ramirez’s brother also served in the military and her father is a Korean War veteran who served in the Army.
To commemorate their Military service, Ramirez bought four tiles – one for herself, one for her husband, another for her brother and father.
“For my family, this is going to be something for generations to come,” Ramirez said. “Generations will get to look back and see my father’s name on the wall.”
