Nov 9, 2007 4:52 PM

Bruin veterans honored with memorial plaque

With Veterans Day approaching, UCLA honored fallen Bruin soldiers Nov. 9 in a ceremony in Wilson Plaza, where a plaque was dedicated to ROTC graduates, UCLA alumni, faculty and staff who died serving their country.

The UCLA Veteran Memorial Plaque was inspired by the life and death of Army 2nd Lt. Mark J. Daily, 23-year-old Bruin alumnus who was killed by an improvised explosive device on January 15, 2007 in Mosul, Iraq. His moving explanation of his reasons for choosing to fight in a war that he had mixed feelings toward — which he posted on his Myspace.com profile — gained national renown after his death, even being read on the U.S. Senate floor.

UCLA Honors Fallen Veterans
on YouTube

Daily's former teachers and classmates in the military science department proposed the idea of a memorial, and former UCLA Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams set the wheels in motion to have the plaque ready by Veterans Day.

"We had nothing on campus to remember Bruin veterans by, no recognition whatsoever, whereas other state colleges and universities had memorial sites," said Lt. Col. Christopher Talcott, professor and chair of the military science department. "We thought we should have some place where we could go when we lose a Bruin, some place where friends and family can come, and where we can do Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies to honor those who have died at war."

Talcott added that Daily and baseball legend and World War II veteran Jackie Robinson — whose quotes appear on the plaque — are examples of UCLA ROTC graduates who became leaders because of their military training and liberal arts education.

Daily's quote: "Don't forget that human beings have a responsibility to one another, and that Americans will always have a responsibility to the oppressed."

Robinson's quote: "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

Captain Jason Marquez spoke of Daily, his friend and colleague, to the audience: "He was a ball of energy. He felt it was his duty to make a difference, even if it was small, and paid the ultimate price. He [was] the best of us...[and] the world is definitely a darker place without him."

The other featured speakers were Chancellor Gene Block; Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Vincent Okamoto; and retired Major General John K. Singlaub, a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

With this plaque, said Chancellor Block, "We recognize those whose convictions cost them their lives. ... For years to come, it will be a reminder of those who ... made the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect our shared ideals."

Those attending included UCLA ROTC cadets and graduates, Bruin faculty and staff and members of Daily's family.

Janet Daily, Mark Daily's wife, said that they are "very, very honored. To have Mark's name attached is an added bonus."

Read Daily’s MySpace letter explaining the reason he went to war.

UCLA knows of nearly 200 Bruins who have died in service to their country. If you know of any that you think may have gone unrecognized, please call Victoria Sanelli of the Department of Military Science at (310) 825-7381 or e-mail her at vksanelli@ucla.edu.

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