Overview

• Family, friends and fellow veterans gathered Saturday at the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial to mark his 100th birthday.
• The memorial dedicated a new plaque in his honor, adding to his earlier recognition as one of the first veterans with a Mount Soledad plaque nearly 24 years ago.
• Organizers also presented Barto with a Quilt of Valor in recognition of decades of service.
• His record includes enlisting in the Marines in 1943, a bravery commendation at Iwo Jima, postwar service in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, Korean War cargo flights, and a 1967 Air Medal for Vietnam service.
• Relatives described him as humble and said he began sharing more about his wartime experiences after his wife's death, and he remains a La Jolla resident.