Coltonite Andres Garcia Honored with Military Banner

Early last month, life-long Colton resident Andres Garcia was honored by the City of Colton, family and friends with a military banner installation ceremony. Born and raised in Colton, Garcia took off to serve in the Air Force during his senior year at Colton High School. Entering the Air Force in 1942 for four years, Garcia immediately went into training to become a pilot. He would drop off and pick up supplies during World War II. “He has always loved planes and he got to travel to so many places like Africa and Brazil. He really enjoyed serving his country,” his daughter, Virginia Huerta, shared. The military banner was an early birthday present from his children. He turned 91 on Nov. 30. “I asked myself, what do you get a 91-year-old man for his birthday?” Huerta said, chuckling. After seeing military banners hung around the community, Huerta knew she had to get one for her father. “I asked my friend Armando Castro how I would go about getting one for him and he provided me with all the steps and information,” she said. All of Garcia’s children-two daughters, Virginia and Priscilla; and three sons, Andres, Edward and Daniel-contributed and worked hard to surprise their father with a banner honoring his service. They kept it a secret and led him to believe that they were getting a banner for his older brother, who had passed away and also served in the military. “When we arrived at the street and he saw all the people waiting, he knew something was up,” Huerta said. Once they told him that the military banner was his, Garcia started to cry. The banner is hung on Valley Boulevard on the north side of the street in front of McDonald’s. Huerta said, “He loves that McDonald’s. It’s his favorite place to go.” All of his children, most of the family and a handful of his closest friends attended the ceremony to watch his banner hang. “He was just ecstatic… his roots will be in Colton forever,” Huerta said. Every Wednesday, Garcia meets up with a group of friends at McDonald’s to eat breakfast and catch up. “He’s a regular there. That’s why after the installation ceremony we all walked to his favorite McDonald’s to eat together,” Huerta said. “There were a lot of us, but McDonald’s did great,” she added.