USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2019: Vendors line the street in front of the municipal palace during the Patron Saint Festival in honor of la Virgen Santa Catarina de Alejandría in downtown Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 22, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
8 Images

A civil war in El Salvador tore them apart. Their high school reunion brought them back together

Members of the class of ’78 were 20 years old when a civil war scattered them across their country and up to California. They find the home they knew is gone, but their feelings for one another endure.

USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2019: Vendors line the street in front of the municipal palace during the Patron Saint Festival in honor of la Virgen Santa Catarina de Alejandría in downtown Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 22, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Vendors line the street during a festival in downtown Usulutan, El Salvador. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2019: Classmates Durham Garcia, far left, of Usulután, Ismael Rodriguez Batres, of San Salvador, and Hugo Arnoldo Flores, of San Salvador, attend a prayer service at Santa Catarina church at the downtown plaza in Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 23, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Former classmates Durham Garcia, far left, of Usulutan, Ismael Rodriguez Batres of San Salvador and Hugo Arnoldo Flores of San Salvador attend a prayer service at Santa Catarina church in Usulutan.  (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2019: A motorcycle rider with a child along CA-2 in downtown Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 25, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

A motorcycle rider and pint-size passenger cruise along CA-2 in downtown Usulutan. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2019: Nominees for queen of the festival parade ride floats during the Patron Saint Festival in honor of la Virgen Santa Catarina de Alejandría in downtown Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 22, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Nominees for queen of the patron saint festival ride parade floats through downtown Usulutan in November. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2019: Nominees for queen of the festival throw candy to people lining the street while parading through downtown during the Patron Saint Festival in honor of la Virgen Santa Catarina de Alejandría in downtown Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 22, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

The crowd reaches for candy thrown by nominees for queen during a parade through downtown Usulutan. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2019: Students on the first day of registration at the Instituto Nacional del Usulután in Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 25, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Students on the first day of registration at the National Institute of Usulutan. Members of the class of ’78 say everything about the school has changed. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

USULUTÁN, USULUTÁN -- MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2019: Manuel Machado, right, of Covina, Calif., shown with Gustavo Urrutia, left, academic coordinator, visiting the school for the first time since he graduated in 1978, finds a plaque with his name from the 25th class reunion, at the Instituto Nacional del Usulután in Usulután, Usulután, on Nov. 25, 2019. Machado, who fled El Salvador because of the civil war, returned for his 41st class reunion. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Gustavo Urrutia, left, academic coordinator at the National Institute of Usulutan, with Manuel Machado of Covina, Calif., a former student of the school.  (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

PLAYA EL ESPINO, USULUTÁN -- SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2019: Rosa Elba Melendez, of San Salvador, El Salvador, dances with classmate Dagoberto Lazo, of San Miguel, El Salvador, attending their 41 reunion, in Playa El Espino, Usulután, on Nov. 24, 2019. Members of the graduating class of 1978 from the Instituto Nacional del Usulután attended their 41st class reunion. When the country plunged into a civil war in October 1979, many of them left for the United States and other parts of the world. Now, they're coming back together for a high school reunion, the second one. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Rosa Elba Melendez of San Salvador dances with former classmate Dagoberto Lazo of San Miguel, El Salvador, while attending their 41st high school reunion in Usulutan. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

1/8