The USS Hornet Sea, Air, and Space Museum will honor our Vietnam War Veterans with a special program this Saturday, March 29. Doors open at 10 a.m., the main event starts at 11 a.m., and the USS Hornet Memorial Squadron will conduct a flyover at approximately 1 p.m. The USS Hornet is located at 707 West Hornet Avenue.
The event is offered in partnership with American Legion Post 647, the Alameda County Veterans Affairs Commision, and the Vietnam Veterans of America Bay Area Chapter 400. Admission is free for all veterans and active-duty personnel.
The main speaker will be author Darren Walton, who served as a Marine and authored the book Di Di Mau about his experiences in Vietnam. The book was called, “A revealing, sometimes gut-wrenching war memoir that examines virtually every aspect of his tour of duty,” by Marc Leepson, Arts Editor and Senior Writer at the VVA Veteran magazine, published by Vietnam Veterans of America. “Di di mau” is a Vietnamese slang term that means “go fast” or “hurry up.” The phrase originated during the Vietnam War.
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Walton was born, raised, and still lives in Marin County, which he says he cherishes for its extraordinary coastline, sprawling open spaces, diverse terrains, and sheer beauty. He has been a long-distance runner since high school and continues to run hills and mountains in California on a regular basis. Recently, he organized and led the first group of over-70 runners to compete in the grueling Hood to Coast long-distance running in Oregon.
After his stint in the Marines, Walton pursued a variety of endeavors and ran multiple businesses, including as a commercial diver, locomotive engineer, and personal gym trainer. He currently owns and operates a machine shop, Walton’s Saw Works, in San Rafael.
