House Mountain was Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola’s favourite journey. Disneyland was his comfortable place.
So on Monday, Aug. 8, it was solely becoming {that a} posthumous medal — commemorating the younger Marine for his actions on Aug. 26 whereas standing guard at Kabul’s airport in Afghanistan — was introduced to his household throughout Disneyland’s somber Flag Retreat Ceremony.
The notable decreasing of the flag is held every day on the theme park’s Towne Sq. close to the tip of Essential Avenue. However, a medal presentation there’s a rarity, park officers mentioned.
The ceremony included the enjoying of every service department’s theme track — “The Cassions Go Rolling Alongside,” “Anchors Away,” “The Marines’ Hymn,” “Semper Paratus,” and “The U.S. Air Power Music.” Veterans attending the occasion stepped ahead to characterize their respective department. The Disneyland Band performed whereas the Dapper Dans sang the lyrics.
After the U.S. flag was lowered, Marine Grasp Sgt. Patrick Hause — the Casualty Help Calls Officer (CACO) who assisted Merola’s household after his dying — introduced the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal posthumously to Merola’s mom, Cheryl Rex, who attended along with her youngsters Branden Murrell, 24, and Olivia Hernandez, 14, alongside along with her dad and mom.
“Receiving Dylan’s award at Disneyland was very emotional,” mentioned Rex. “It was additionally calming to know that this was Dylan’s place the place we spent numerous time for Dylan’s entire life.”
The medal with “C” for fight was introduced to Merola for “heroic service above self” on the day that the Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport was bombed in the course of the evacuation of People and Afghan allies.
Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, was one in every of 11 Marines, a Navy sailor, and an Army soldier killed that day. Most Marines had been a part of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines at Camp Pendleton.
Two different Southern California Marines — Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, and Lance Cpl. Karem Nikoui — have additionally posthumously been awarded comparable awards. All these killed obtained the Purple Coronary heart Award, and in November, Congress authorised for all 13 to obtain Congressional Gold Medals, one of many highest civilian awards. The assault, which additionally killed 170 Afghans and wounded one other 45 U.S. troops, was the deadliest towards U.S. forces in Afghanistan since Aug. 6, 2011.
The thought to host the award ceremony at Disneyland got here from Hause’s spouse, Monica, a veteran of the Army and Air Power. She turned shut with Rex and her youngsters due to her husband’s connection to the household: Patrick Hause was the knock on the door notifying Rex that her son had been killed.
The preliminary plan was to carry the presentation with Merola’s unit at Camp Pendleton, however scheduling conflicts made that inconceivable.
Monica Hause linked with officers at Disneyland. Rex and her youngsters had been longtime move holders on the theme park, mentioned Susi Brown, a spokeswoman for the park, so placing the occasion collectively was further particular.
“We felt a robust connection to them,” Brown mentioned. “That is one thing very out of the odd.”
Monica Hause labored with Brown and on Monday was pleased with the outcomes. She and her husband spent the day with Rex and her youngsters and loved rides, meals, and a particular behind-the-scenes tour of Walt Disney’s condo positioned simply above the fireplace station on the theme park.
The SALUTE crew, a Disneyland forged with navy backgrounds, introduced Rex with a cased flag that had as soon as flown over Disneyland. And the household loved entrance row seats for Monday’s Essential Avenue Electrical Parade and fireworks.
“I’m comfortable for them,” Monica Hause mentioned. “It was a day of spending time with good mates and supporting them.”
For Rex, the occasion was emotional. As a single mom, Disneyland was her household’s “house away from house.”
“We had season passes right here since my youngsters had been small,” she mentioned. “It was ours and Dylan’s comfortable place.”
Getting the tribute in the course of the Flag Retreat Ceremony was extremely significant, Rex mentioned. The household attended the Veterans’ Day ceremony there whereas visiting the theme park. And so they stopped by for a commemoration even when it wasn’t a vacation.
“I taught my youngsters to respect and honor the flag right here,” she mentioned.
That patriotism wore off not solely on Merola however on Rex’s oldest son, Branden. On Aug. 5, he graduated from boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and is now a non-public within the Marines.
Murrell reviews again to Camp Pendleton on Aug. 16 the place he’ll practice to turn out to be both an air site visitors controller or work with unmanned autos.
“I’m actually pleased with my brother for getting this award,” he mentioned. “He all the time impressed me to do what I need to do. Because the oldest brother, I stayed again, however when Dylan (died) I didn’t see myself doing the rest however turning into a Marine. I all the time noticed how navy service members had been revered, and I wished to do one thing that folks appeared as much as, too.”
On the ceremony, Murrell witnessed the respect his brother obtained as a whole lot of park guests took outing of their day to observe the flag come down. Among the many crowd, dozens of veterans participated as their service department was acknowledged.
Amongst them was Leroy Homer, 63, a Navy veteran from Lompoc who was visiting Disneyland along with his spouse. The flag ceremony is a “must-do” every time they go to the theme park.
“Once you signal the contract, we’re placing our lives on the road for our nation,” Homer mentioned. “We perceive that’s a part of our job, and somebody has to defend our lifestyle.”
Attending Merola’s ceremony made his go to to Disneyland all of the extra particular.
I’m right here to honor a brother-in-arms,” he mentioned. “We now have to help one another.”
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