A retired fighter pilot who flew more than 100 missions over North Vietnam, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Robert L. “Bob” Dentino accumulated an impressive military record during his 27 years in the U.S. Air Force.

When young Bettye Nagy of San Antonio, was a student nurse, she had the idea of being an Army nurse, but World War II was over.

Born in Mexico City in 1922, Thomas P. Ivarra Sr. was four years old when he immigrated to Texas with his family, settling on the land in Martindale that he would farm and ranch for more than 60 years.

The San Marcos native and SMHS graduate started the effort to fund the project and saw it through to reality.

Dake’s air force retirement doesn’t mean he stopped flying. In fact, the practicing San Marcos psychiatrist volunteers his time and his private plane to fly cancer patients to treatment centers as an Angel Flight volunteer.

If George W. Kumpe Jr. had not been working near a military recruiting office in Anaheim, Calif. in 1967, his life may have been quite different.

The public is invited to join a city-wide salute to military veterans that kicks off in downtown San Marcos at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7.