Burbank frontyard set up to commemorate Veterans Day
Passing by Marciano Ventura’s house in Burbank Tuesday afternoon in a yellow school bus, driver Dolly Lee popped her hand to her temple in a salute.
Ventura’s frontyard in the 1800 block of North Fairview Street is decked in star-spangled splendor — waving flags and signs with red, white and blue glitter spelling out messages in caps such as “Ready Power for Peace,” “Honoring All Who Served,” and “Freedom Is Not Free.” Cut-out letters proclaim “Tribute to the Veterans” and “Veterans Day.”
Near the carport across from a poster image of Marines, a mannequin stands guard dressed in Ventura’s sailor uniform from his time as a petty officer first class. More than half a dozen poster displays of military photos line the driveway. The native of the Philippines joined the Navy in 1962 and spent 20 years in the service, including assignments on four aircraft carriers.
“I just appreciate that I was able to join, that I was able to come to the United States,” he said. “You have opportunities in this country.”
Growing up in the Philippines in the 1960s, Ventura attended elementary school with his future wife. She then went off to university.
“Luckily, I went to join the Navy,” he said.
During the Vietnam War, Ventura served on the U.S.S. Hancock, which participated in the evacuations of Phnom Penh and Saigon in 1975. He retired in 1981.
Wednesday is Veterans Day, a day when the country honors those living and dead who have served in the military. The city of Burbank will recognize veterans during a ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the McCambridge Park War Memorial at the corner of North San Fernando Boulevard and Amherst Drive.
Ventura’s decorations went up on Friday and will stay up all week, so that his neighbors can enjoy them, he said.
“They just love it,” he added.
Ventura has displayed the military tribute since he retired after 30 years with the U.S. Postal Service in 2013. Next door, Diane Butcher said she’s never been bothered by the spectacle. She said she knows Ventura spends a lot of time on the patriotic makeover, which she called “impressive.”
“It’s fantastic,” Butcher said. “Nobody else in the neighborhood does it, so why not?”
A couple doors down in the other direction lives Peggy Zirves, who said she’s watched Ventura add to the display every year. There’s a mannequin dressed up in Army camouflage on the right flank of the house and elsewhere a kind of fence row of toy rifles and camouflage helmets reminiscent of the “battlefield cross” — a helmet atop a rifle in a pair of boots.
“It’s handmade with obvious love,” Zirves said. “He’s so proud — so proud — of what he’s done.”
The centerpiece of the display is a large papier-mache statue depicting the Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima. He also puts up displays on other patriotic holidays with other centerpieces — an obelisk monument to the Unknown Soldier on Memorial Day and a homemade Lady Liberty on July 4.
The outdoor display is up a few times a year for a few days each time Ventura said he’ll keep it up longer on request.
There’s an inner sanctum at the back of the home which Ventura calls his “library.” There, among model aircraft carriers and statues of soaring eagles are framed collages that show photos, letters, clippings and medals from his life and military career.
That’s also where Lady Liberty hangs out when she’s not on the lawn for Independence Day.
Sailors from the Navy recruiting office at the Burbank Town Center visited Ventura’s home on what was the Marine Corps’ 240th birthday on Tuesday to view both the indoor and outdoor decorations.
“I was amazed,” said Jose Perez, one of the recruiters. “This guy’s inspiring.”
Ventura said he hopes to continue his tributes to service members for a long time.
“I will try to keep it always,” he said.
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Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com
Twitter: @chadgarland
