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First Sergeant Raymond Rincon
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The 16th Annual Veteran’s Day Parade & Car Show will be held on E. Street in San Bernardino on Saturday, November 7. The parade will begin at 10 a.m., beginning at San Bernardino High school and end at the Inland Empire Military Museum and McDonald’s Museum at 14th and E. Street, which is historic Route 66. In addition, the E Street Cruizers Car Club will hold a car show on E Street. The street will be closed to through traffic from the high school down to Baseline. The parade is sponsored by Juan Pollo and the Inland Empire Military Museum. This family event of cars, food, and music will take place from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m.
This year’s Grand Marshall is First Sergeant Raymond Rincon. “I joined the U.S. Army in 1966. I was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 501st Infantry. I went to Viet Nam in November 1967 with the 2nd and 3rd Brigade on C-141 Jets, not knowing if we were going to land or parachute in”, said Rincon.
Rincon was awarded The Purple Heart after being injured in the war. In addition to his Purple Heart, Rincon received a Bronze Star with “V” Device; Vietnam Service Medal; Combat Infantry Badge; Airborne Jump Wings; Air Assault Badge; and 18 other ribbons and badges from the U.S. Army, National Guard and the State Military Reserve. He served in the State Military Reserve for 20 years working with the National Guard. Rincon retired as a First Sergeant with 24 years of Military Service.
The day’s festivities also include special guest Richard Hanna, a World War II Marine Corps Veteran.
Participating Veteran’s organizations are Catholic War Veterans Post 762; I.E. Vietnam Veterans Chapter 47; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8737; I.E. Airborne Association; and the American legion Post 772.
For the last 4 years, muralist Phil Yeh has been painting a massive mural on the walls of the historic site of the first McDonald’s. Along with Rory Murray, Beth Winokur, Jan Windhausen, Sandy Cvar, and others, these murals show the history of San Bernardino on one side and California’s Route 66 on another wall. Now, Murray and Yeh have just about finished the front of the building. They have painted some noted cars and an image of the original 1948 McDonald’s. Sandy Cvar came out this year to do a portrait of Richard and Maurice McDonald.
The McDonald’s Museum is located at 1398 N. E. Street in San Bernardino and is open daily. The Inland Empire Military Museum is open on weekends. Admission to both museums is free.
