It is with profound sadness that I adjourn tonight’s meeting in memory of William Reynolds, a friend to us all and a Vietnam veteran who sadly passed away earlier this month at the age of 74.
Bill was born in Texas in 1946 but primarily grew up in the San Fernando Valley and graduated from Cleveland High School before being drafted into the U.S. Army prior to his 20th
He was a member of the infamous “Boys of ’67,” serving in the Charlie Company of the 4th/47th, 9th Infantry Division.
His Company’s story became the basis of a National Geographic documentary, “Brothers In War,” which premiered in 2014.
After the war, Bill had a nearly three-decade-long career at Lockheed’s Skunkworks Company before retiring and committing his time to being an advocate for local veterans.
Bill was president of Santa Clarita Valley Veterans Memorial Inc. and was known as a tireless advocate for his fellow veterans in the Santa Clarita Valley.
His leadership and tenacity led to the creation of the Fallen Warriors Monument at Veterans Historical Plaza in Newhall, which is a memorial wall dedicated to the memory of all Santa Clarita Valley veterans – known and unknown – who died while serving our country since World War I.
To ensure no story was left untold, Bill spent the better part of two years tracking down nearly 50 SCV residents to memorialize.
As the former Director of Veterans Affairs at the Santa Clarita Valley Signal, Bill dutifully told the stories of our City’s veterans to the wider community.
Among his proudest moments – aside from creating the Fallen Warrior Monument – was helping veterans get the opportunity to visit historical sites around the world for momentous occasions.
As a result, Bill was among a group of veterans who had the honor of meeting with President Trump in Vietnam for the signing of a proclamation recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.
We are saddened by Bill’s passing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Meg, their children and grandchildren at this difficult time.