PHOTO/RICHARD FINN, IRAQ WAR VETERAN
MECCA, CA—Saul Martinez Elementary School in Mecca, with its 1,200 students, was the site chosen to receive a Peace Pole in honor of a late Redlands WWII veteran, John Coble, who advocated for an end of war. The dedication was made during the annual celebration of the school’s name sake’s birthday.
Coble played football for Redlands High School, was a sports writer for the Redlands Daily Facts. Son of The Great Y Circus founder Roy Coble, he performed yearly from age five until he joined the Army at age 18. He was a ball turret gunner in a B17 during WWII. He spent six months in a German prison camp after being shot down. For 48 years he taught English at San Bernardino Valley College and died in 2009.
On the 8-foot pole the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” is written in six languages. There are an estimated 200,000 Peace Poles in more than 180 countries. This pole is a gift from Chapter #19 of Veterans For Peace (VFP). “John and I were both very active and supportive of the Veterans For Peace organization,” said his widow Sunny Wallick, who still contributes to VFP and donated toward the pole.
She said she felt John personified the mission of the group. “He really represented what they’re about,” she said, mentioning that as long as he was physically able they both stood at the corner of Orange Street and Redlands Boulevard on Friday nights to promote peace.
VFP Chapter President Tom Swann said that this was the third Peace Pole erected by the group. He said it was important to honor the WWII veterans. The mission of VFP is to seek justice for veterans and victims of war, increase public awareness of the costs of war and work to abolish war as an instrument of national policy.
Family members of the school’s namesake, Saul Martinez, were present. He was an Indio California Highway Patrol officer who was active in the community and considered a local hero. He died in the line of duty in 1997.
Also attending the ceremony were Past VFP National President Elliott Adams, Past National VFP Vice President Sharon Lee Kufeldt, and World War II and Korean War USMC veteran 93yo Harold Kufeldt and other members of Jonathan Castro Chapter #19 Veterans For Peace.
Elliott Adams is on a cross-country tour teaching workshops on effective organizing for non-violent action for social change. He teaches about the stages of movements, planning effective strategies and tactics for the stage your movement is in locally, and how to successfully move it to the next level.
Elliott guides groups nationwide working on Closing Guantanamo Prison and other grave issues facing our nation such as hydrofracking and drones. “We all know what we as human beings need. Real democracy comes from the people organizing to put pressure on the government to be responsive to our needs.” We need justice for people and the environment. We need to end war. www.closegitmo.net
Thank you for publishing this wonderful article and picture of VFP and the Peace Pole.