San Diego Eagles gathered again yesterday for the annual “Wreaths Across America” activity at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
In addition to recognizing and honoring all of those buried there, the Chapter particularly recognized Dorothy Cerro ’59, a veteran of the Korean War.
While information is incomplete, Cerro is listed by the University as among three BC graduates buried or inurned at Fort Rosecrans. (The Chapter had recognized LT John Kelleher ’58 and TSGT Edward Merikle ’51 in previous years.) Cerro is identified as a member of the Class of 1959, but she was likely in the graduate nursing program. Elsewhere identified as a nurse in an army MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) unit, she was a First Lieutenant, which implies she had completed college elsewhere. She would have been in her late 20s, early 30s at BC.
She died in 2012 and is inurned with the remains of her husband, Robert, who had also served in Korea. Records indicate the couple spent their last years as residents of San Diego County.
Chapter members offer a prayer at the columbarium.
Wreaths Across America sponsors and organizes events such as this at national cemeteries throughout the US. The Boston College Veterans Alumni Network has sponsored the event for several years at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass., on Cape Cod. Alumni chapters have also begun to participate at Arlington National Cemetery and elsewhere.
L-R: Lissa Tsu ’00, Margot Tsu, Brian Tsu ’00, Bill McDonald ’68, Joe Mahler ’74 P’11, Mary-Lou Kiley MSW’77, Ray Berube ’78, Julie Croce ’93, Mike Croce (behind), LT Nguyet Nguyen Allbaugh ’07 (front), Lori Mahler P’11, and Caitlin Mahler ’11, CGSOM’17.
