IMPORTANT TO BE THERE TO HONOR AND REMEMBER HIS FELLOW COMRADES. ### (NAT POPS CHEERING) A HERO’S WELCOME FOR WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN ED CAVALLINI OF SEASIDE.. HE RETURNED HOME SATURDAY MORNING AFTER ATTENDING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY IN NORMANDY, FRANCE.. (ED 23:01 I’VE NEVER BEEN TO FRANCE, AND THAT WAS PERFECT FOR ME. YOU KNOW, :09 I GOT TO SEE ALL THE PLACES WHERE OUR GUYS FOUGHT. YOU KNOW, IN THE ATLANTIC :16) CAVALLINI A MARINE CORP CAPTAIN WAS MILES AWAY FROM THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY FIGHTING IN THE PACIFIC.. EVENTUALLY GETTING WOUNDED TWICE DURING THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA.. THURSDAY WAS THE FIRST TIME STEPPING FOOT IN FRANCE FOR CAVALLINI.. PART OF A GROUP OF BROTHERS IN ARMS.. WHO GATHERED TO REMEMBER ONE OF THE GREATEST BATTLES EVER FOUGHT.. IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM.. (ED 24:47 IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO SEE THE, TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT IN EUROPE :54 AND I HAD DONE ALL MY FIGHTING IN THE PACIFIC :58) WHEN CAVALLINI RETURNED SATURDAY.. THERE WERE MARINE CORP OFFICERS FROM THE NAVAL POST GRADUATE SCHOOL ON HAND TO WELCOME HOME A FELLOW MARINE.. (AMY 31:41 THE SERVICE, THE DEDICATION OF SERVICE THAT HE HAS FOR DEFENDING DEMOCRACY :46 IS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LEGACY THAT THE MARINES AND THE REST OF THE SERVICES. THIS IS WHAT WE YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO FILL THOSE FOOTSTEPS :54) ALSO ON HAND.. PEOPLE WHO NEVER MET THE 101 YEAR OLD CAVALLINI.. BUT APPRECIATE HE’S PART OF THE GREATEST GENERATION THAT SACRIFICED THEIR ALL.. (V3 18:36 WE DON’T WANT TO FORGET WHAT THE SACRIFICES THEY HAD TO MAKE, THE BLOOD THAT HAD TO RUN FOR THAT FOR US TO BE HERE TODAY WHERE WE’RE AT :42) (V1)(20:45 I MEAN, JUST A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THESE GENTLEMEN THAT WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH. SO IT’S MY HONOR TO BE HERE. AND JUST LIKE THESE OTHER GENTLEMEN WITH ME :54) (V2 18:26 HE DID WHAT HE NEED TO DO NOW HE’S BACK HOME. THANK YOU FOR HIS SERVICE :29) CAVALLINI’S SERVICE DID NOT END ON THE BATTLEFIELD.. HE CONTINUED TO SERVE HIS COMMUNITY EVEN WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE MONTEREY PENINSULA.. ED CAVALLINI IS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL.. IN FACT HE’S THE ONLY SURVIVING MEMBER OF THAT FOUNDING BOARD.. THAT CREATED ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND LONGEST RUNNING MUSIC FESTIVALS IN THE WORLD.. HERE’S WHAT CAVALLINI SAID ABOUT THE FESTIVAL WHEN WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM LAST YEAR.. AS HE CELEBRATED HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY.. (CLIP 3158)(45:10 WE JUST WE JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA AND EVERYBODY BUSTED THEIR ASS AND KEPT OUR FINGERS CROSSED :16) (CLIP 3157)(19:24 I THOUGHT IT WOULD LAST BUT I DIDN’T KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD LAST. I DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD LAST THIS LONG EITHER :30 LAUGHS :32) ED CAVALLINI THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND MEMORIES.. BUT MOST OF ALL THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE IN
World War II veteran, co-founder of Monterey Jazz Festival dies at 102
Edward Cavallini, a co-founder of the Monterey Jazz Festival and a World War II veteran, died on Christmas Eve at the age of 102.Watch Above: Ed Cavallini visits Normandy for 80th anniversary of D-Day (2024)Cavallini was a Marine and served as an infantry platoon commander during the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he was injured and received the Purple Heart at the age of 21. After the war, he co-founded the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958, which has delighted audiences for 67 years and donated millions to music education and programs across the Central Coast.The Monterey Jazz Festival’s managing director, Bobbie Youing, released a statement saying, “The Monterey Jazz family mourns the loss of our last original founder, Ed Cavallini. He lived a full and complete life by serving his country and the communities in which he lived. His impact will never be forgotten. We are forever grateful for his efforts and send our most sincere condolences to his family.”
Edward Cavallini, a co-founder of the Monterey Jazz Festival and a World War II veteran, died on Christmas Eve at the age of 102.
Watch Above: Ed Cavallini visits Normandy for 80th anniversary of D-Day (2024)
Cavallini was a Marine and served as an infantry platoon commander during the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he was injured and received the Purple Heart at the age of 21.
After the war, he co-founded the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958, which has delighted audiences for 67 years and donated millions to music education and programs across the Central Coast.
The Monterey Jazz Festival’s managing director, Bobbie Youing, released a statement saying, “The Monterey Jazz family mourns the loss of our last original founder, Ed Cavallini. He lived a full and complete life by serving his country and the communities in which he lived. His impact will never be forgotten. We are forever grateful for his efforts and send our most sincere condolences to his family.”