From the pool of Veterans of the Year candidates, only one is selected as the “San Diego County Veteran of the Year.” By honoring a veteran, it shows that the veterans contribute greatly to the morale of the work force, exceed expectations in their duties, volunteer in the community and are good citizens. This program of The Veteran Museum at Balboa Park recognizes our heroes who continue to serve and contribute as our friends and neighbors.The day was November 8th and the San Diego County Veteran of the Year luncheon was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. The doors of the Scottish Rite Center in Mission Valley were thrown open and a massive crowd of attendees swarmed into a great fare of food and camaraderie.

By honoring a veteran, it shows that the veterans contribute greatly to the morale of the work force, exceed expectations in their duties, volunteer in the community and are good citizens. This program of The Veteran Museum at Balboa Park recognizes our heroes who continue to serve and contribute as our friends and neighbors. Learn More

But this story is about our man-of-the-hour, Patriot Oscar Polster. For Oscar is quite the guy and if you don’t know him by now, you are about to … “Meet Oscar Polster” and Chapter 0049. A veteran of World War II, he was born October 16, 1925. He is being honored with the Will Hays Lifetime Achievement Award for 2011.

The following memories are excerpts from an interview by Carl Cox in 2005. He is a volunteer with the Voluntary Resource Management Service of the VA San Diego Healthcare System at the VA Medical Center in San Diego, California.

“I was a rifleman when I started out, I was with the 96th Dead Eye Division. That was a special outfit of extra sharp-shooting individual. They were really really something. I wasn’t that good, but they were. I was just average. These guys were good and we had a General whose name was Easley and he prided himself in having the best shooting outfit in the Army. I don’t know if they did or not, but he said so, General Easley.”

Read the full interview here.

WW II 1939 - 1945 Veteran: Company D, First Battalion, 
382 Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division -
Gualadcanal, Solomon Islands, Okinawa. 
Sergeant

“Thank you, thank you for taking the time to do this. And I hope it has effect on other people that may want to take time to read it after were, been gone for a long time. Someone will pick it up and say, ‘did this really happen?’ Ha ha ha.

L-R: Ladies Aux. Charlotte Miller; Mrs. Oscar Polster; Patriot O. Polster; and Chaplain Bob Holloway.

L-R: Allen Wissinger; Joseph Petrini; Lindwood Boyd; Andre LeCault; Ulysses Miller; Bobby Holloway; Angel Aviles; Jack Harkins; Seated: R-L: Oscar Polster; Mrs. Polster; Mrs. Charlotte Miller; Mrs. Doreen LeCault; and Mrs. Diane Petrini.

Adm. Melendez, Assemblywoman Toni Atkins and Hon. Bob Filner presents 2011-12 Award to Oscar Polster.

Oscar receives the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2011-2012!

Another view: Oscar receives the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2011-2012

Oscar out front with the award.