Nash placing wreaths on Mare Island tombstones again

Steve Nash doesn’t want any veteran to feel alone on Christmas — whether they’ve passed away or not.

The president of the Vallejo Council of the Navy League is once again attempting to make sure a wreath is on every single tombstone at the Mare Island Cemetery. The cost will be $17,000 to make sure more than 1,000 tombstones are decorated.

Even though he’s currently short about $5,000 in donations, Nash is going to pay for the deposit on Tuesday out of his pocket if he is short.

“It’s going to happen. I’m down a few thousand but I’m going to make sure every tombstone has a wreath,” Nash said. “These guys (the veterans laid to rest) have been there a long time and I sometimes think they don’t get enough recognition. I’m placing a wreath on every one of them to make sure they are never forgotten.”

Nash is a veteran himself, having served for six years in the Navy stationed at NAS Alameda as Fight Crew in several positions on C9B transport planes. Nash has also been a longtime member of the Navy League and was a board member for the Sonoma County Council since 1999.

Over the years the Wreaths Across America national event has become a day that means a great deal to Nash.

“Besides it being very solemn, it’s a day where I stop by every grave and just think, ‘What is the history behind this veteran or sailor?'” Nash said. “What was their story? What did they do?”

Nash is asking for donations to be sent to Vallejo Navy League, Steve Nash, PO Box 5252 in Novato, CA 94948. One wreath on a tombstone costs $15, but Nash will accept smaller and larger donations.

So far in 2021, there have been two extremely big donations — both Valero and Phillips 66 donated $2,500 each, equaling the amount they gave last year.

“I’m thrilled that they decided to donate that amount again,” Nash said. “This means a lot to them as well. I see them at the ceremony each year.”

The ceremony to lay the wreaths across the tombstones is set for Dec. 18 at 9 a.m.

The Mare Island Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark, is the oldest naval cemetery on the West Coast. It has three Congressional Medal of Honor recipients: James Cooney, Alexander Parker and William Halford.

Although it looks nice now, the cemetery has gone through a major restoration in recent years. Many trees that once surrounded the cemetery have been removed, as well as a portion of the white picket fence that surrounded it, although portions of the fence will be put back after the drainage system is repaired.

In August, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs  National Cemetery Administration will formally begin the process of transferring the 165-year-old cemetery from the City of Vallejo.