Anniversaries

Some clock in the soul always reminds them that the anniversary has come again. It was this month in 1965 when the men of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 appeared on the cover and in the pages of Life magazine in a famous, wrenching photo essay that helped awaken the nation to the reality of the Vietnam War.

For Enrique "Kiki" Zuniga, elementary school meant Army barracks for classrooms and a dirt courtyard for a playground. "It felt almost like a detention camp, where you just went through the motions of school," said Zuniga, 60, as he reflected on his childhood.

Garvanza Elementary School in Highland Park is celebrating its 100th anniversary this week, a milestone in a history that reflects Los Angeles'. But the anniversary is not quite as simple as one would think.

Carolyn Morton knew she was going to a birthday party and made a special card for the event. It read "Happy Birthday Zoo." The 4-year-old Tustin girl was one of about 1,300 guests who showed up Saturday to celebrate the 38th birthday of the Santa Ana Zoo.

Edith Shain didn't think much about the kiss after it happened 60 years ago Monday. Oh, it was a long one all right -- a doozy -- but a moment that came and went.

Old war stories never die. They just fade away, into bulletproof memories and media myths. Like comforting legends, they reassure us of our strengths.