A legacy of courage, sacrifice and service
PLACERVILLE, Calif. — El Dorado County’s military history is written in the stories of men and women who served their country under extraordinary circumstances. Some earned the nation’s most distinguished decorations for battlefield valor. Others helped build memorials, supported generations of veterans or quietly devoted their retirement years to serving their neighbors.
Their stories share a common thread: a commitment to service that did not end when they took off the uniform.
At the center of that legacy stands the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, located at 360 Fair Lane in Placerville. The monument provides a permanent place of recognition for veterans whose military service helped shape the history of the United States and the local community.
With Veterans Day approaching Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, the stories of these local veterans offer an opportunity to recognize not only military accomplishments but also the sacrifices and contributions that continue to influence El Dorado County.
Five decorated heroes whose actions went beyond duty
Five veterans associated with El Dorado County have received the Navy Cross, Air Force Cross or Distinguished Service Cross.
These decorations rank immediately below the Medal of Honor in their respective military services. They recognize extraordinary heroism in combat.
Their individual stories were highlighted during a 2022 Veterans Day ceremony when bronze plaques recognizing their accomplishments were dedicated at the Placerville monument.
Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote — U.S. Marine Corps
A 2003 graduate of Union Mine High School, Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote was a native of El Dorado, California, and served with the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion.
On Aug. 10, 2012, while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Mote’s team came under attack from an Afghan uniformed police officer who opened fire inside the perimeter of their tactical operations center.
According to the official Marine Corps account, Mote exposed himself to intense gunfire, drawing the attacker’s attention away from his fellow Marines. He continued engaging the gunman until he was mortally wounded.
His actions helped stop the assault and allowed his teammates to escape.
Mote was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross in January 2014. His sacrifice is also remembered through the Sgt. Sky Mote Detachment of the Marine Corps League and a scholarship honoring his name.
Capt. Richard Buchanan — U.S. Marine Corps
Richard Buchanan’s military service and subsequent community involvement helped lay the foundation for El Dorado County’s permanent veterans memorial.
A longtime Placerville resident, Buchanan received the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism during the May 24, 1968, Battle of Le Bac in Vietnam.
During the engagement, Buchanan took command under intense enemy fire, rallied fellow Marines and led actions against enemy positions. His leadership and determination helped save numerous lives.
He later served as National Commander of the Legion of Valor from 2004 to 2005.
Buchanan also envisioned the El Dorado County Veterans Monument. In 1997, he shared that vision with Coast Guard veteran and architect Peter Wolfe. Their shared commitment eventually became the monument that now stands in Placerville.
Lt. Col. Gregory Etzel — U.S. Air Force
Gregory Etzel earned the Air Force Cross for extraordinary heroism during a rescue mission over North Vietnam in July 1967.
At the time, Etzel was a captain piloting an HH-3E helicopter, commonly known as the Jolly Green Giant.
On July 2, he flew into one of North Vietnam’s most heavily defended areas to rescue a downed F-105 pilot. Intense enemy fire and approaching darkness forced him to withdraw before completing the rescue.
Rather than abandon the mission, Etzel volunteered to return the following morning.
Despite limited rest, he again flew into hostile territory, navigating intense automatic weapons fire, missiles and attacking MiG aircraft. His crew located and rescued the downed pilot.
Etzel’s extraordinary airmanship and determination earned him the Air Force Cross. His service is recognized among the honorees associated with the El Dorado County Veterans Monument.
Master Sgt. William Cathcart — U.S. Army
During the Korean War, William D. Cathcart demonstrated extraordinary courage while serving with an Army infantry unit.
On Feb. 18, 1952, his company was attacking a heavily fortified enemy position when intense enemy fire pinned down American troops. After the assault leader was killed, Cathcart rallied the remaining soldiers and helped organize their withdrawal.
He then realized wounded soldiers remained exposed on the hillside.
Cathcart returned to the battlefield six times, each time bringing another wounded soldier to safety. His Distinguished Service Cross citation credited him with saving several fellow soldiers through extraordinary courage and selfless devotion to duty.
Cathcart later became associated with the founding of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument.
First Lt. Andrew LePeilbet — U.S. Army
Andrew R. LePeilbet received the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in Vietnam on March 12, 1969.
Serving as a platoon leader in the Plei Trap Valley, LePeilbet’s unit came under devastating enemy fire from concealed bunkers.
When an enemy grenade landed near him and his radio operator, LePeilbet placed himself between the explosion and his fellow soldier, absorbing the blast. He suffered severe injuries to his legs and back.
Despite those injuries, he continued directing his men, organizing the evacuation of wounded soldiers and helping repel an enemy assault.
His actions helped save fellow soldiers and earned him the Distinguished Service Cross. His recognition at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument ensures that his story remains part of the county’s military history.
The people who helped build a lasting memorial
The monument’s history is also a story of veterans who continued serving their community after their military careers ended.
Major Gen. John W. Collens, a retired Air Force officer, served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. His military career included flying B-17 missions over Italy during World War II, 75 reconnaissance missions during the Korean War and leadership positions within the Air Force. He served on the monument’s 2006 board of directors and was an El Dorado County resident for decades.
Lt. Cmdr. Peter Wolfe, a retired Coast Guard officer, served as the monument’s architect. His military career included search-and-rescue missions, law enforcement and maritime operations. In 1976, he led a Coast Guard boarding party that seized a Soviet transport ship for violating U.S. maritime restrictions. His work helped translate Buchanan’s vision into a permanent community memorial.
Chief Petty Officer William Schultz, a Vietnam-era Navy veteran and flight engineer, served aboard the USS Enterprise during four deployments off Vietnam. After retiring in 1972, he settled in Placerville and entered public service. He worked in several El Dorado County positions before being elected county recorder-clerk in 1995.
Col. Mary Chan, a retired Army officer and El Dorado Hills resident, represents another generation of military leadership. She served 34 years in combined enlisted and commissioned service with the California Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve.
After retiring in 2011, Chan continued serving the public through local civic organizations, including two terms on the El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury and involvement with local veterans initiatives.
In March 2026, state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil named Chan Senate District 4’s Veteran Woman of the Year.
Alvarado-Gil described Chan’s career as one of leadership and community commitment, saying, “Mary Chan’s remarkable journey, from immigrant to trailblazing military leader and tireless community advocate, embodies the spirit of service that defines Senate District 4.”
Veterans recognized for serving their neighbors
Military decorations tell only part of the story. El Dorado County also recognizes veterans whose contributions continued long after their military service.
The El Dorado County Veterans Alliance presents an annual Veteran of the Year award to recognize individuals whose service to the community has made a lasting difference.
Two past recipients illustrate the tradition.
Wally Richardson — 2018 Veteran of the Year
At 95 years old, Richardson, a World War II and Korean War veteran, was named El Dorado County’s 2018 Veteran of the Year.
He became a familiar face to generations of students at Marina Village Middle School in El Dorado Hills, where he spent years greeting students outside the school each morning.
His message emphasized humility, character and service. His dedication earned regional recognition, including coverage by ABC10.
Richardson demonstrated that serving one’s country does not have to end with military retirement.
Specialist 5 David Sauvé — 2023 Veteran of the Year
Vietnam veteran David Sauvé was selected as the county’s 2023 Veteran of the Year.
A longtime postal worker with a 38-year career in the U.S. Postal Service, Sauvé devoted considerable time to supporting local veterans.
His contributions included placing American flags on veterans’ graves at 11 local cemeteries each Memorial Day, participating in military funeral honors and serving as a past commander and longtime adjutant of VFW Camerado Post 10165.
Sauvé described his volunteer work as a way to “pay back” for what he considered a relatively easy military assignment at Army headquarters in Long Binh, Vietnam.
His recognition reflected a lifetime of service to others.
Remembering those who never came home
No account of El Dorado County’s military history would be complete without remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The county’s memorials recognize service members who died during conflicts spanning multiple generations. Among them are local men killed during the Vietnam War, including Glen Otis Ervin and Donald Ray Smith, whose names appear in published listings of California’s Vietnam War dead.
The 2026 Veterans Day commemoration also highlights a project designed to make those sacrifices more visible to the public.
Local high school junior and Boy Scout Tucker Anderson created 62 Hometown Heroes banners for his Eagle Scout project. The banners include 21 local service members killed in action and are displayed along Main Street in Placerville.
The project connects local history with a younger generation, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to recognize the names and faces of those who never returned home.
The banners are intended to become part of the community’s continuing efforts to preserve the memory of local service members.
Veterans Day 2026: A community gathering in Placerville
This year’s Veterans Day ceremony carries additional significance.
Wednesday, Nov. 11, marks the 20th anniversary of the dedication of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, originally dedicated on Veterans Day 2006. The 2026 observance also coincides with the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
The ceremony, titled “The American Spirit of Gratitude,” is scheduled for 11 a.m. at 360 Fair Lane in Placerville.
Organized under the oversight of the El Dorado County Veterans Alliance, the program includes a color guard, patriotic music, a parade of flags, wreath-laying ceremony and traditional three-volley rifle salute.
The ceremony will also recognize local community members for their continuing service to veterans.
Jon Brown, an Army veteran and El Dorado County Veterans Service Officer, is scheduled to receive the 2026 Veteran of the Year award. Stacie Walls will receive the Veterans Monument Service and Support Award for her longstanding work supporting veterans and community programs.
A second Veterans Day ceremony is also scheduled at the American Legion Hall in South Lake Tahoe.
The county monument is open to visitors daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Its online directory allows visitors to locate individual veterans’ memorial bricks and stones.
A legacy larger than the uniform
El Dorado County’s veterans represent different generations, military branches and experiences. Some faced enemy fire in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Others served aboard ships, flew rescue missions, led military organizations or helped shape the county’s civic institutions.
Their stories are not interchangeable, and their sacrifices deserve individual recognition.
But together, they tell a larger story about a community that has benefited from the dedication of those willing to serve.
The Veterans Monument in Placerville stands as a reminder that military service is not measured solely by medals or rank. It is also measured by the lives protected, the families supported, the community strengthened and the memories preserved.
As El Dorado County prepares to observe Veterans Day, the names engraved in stone and the stories passed from one generation to another offer a simple reminder: Those who served should never be forgotten.
