Jose G. Ramos Exhibit
The Jose Ramos exhibit is the newest permanent exhibit at the Whittier Museum. It is located on the second floor opposite the Veterans' Honor Wall. The exhibit features the bicycle and jersey that Ramos road across the country as well as other memorabilia, biographical information, and a timeline of his effort to establish Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.
Promotional flier for the opening of the Jose Ramos exhibit on March 30, 2019.
Honoring José Ramos
by Nicholas Edmeier, Whittier Museum ManagerReprinted from The Whittier Museum Gazette, March 2019
Did you know Whittier was the first city in the United States to proclaim a “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” (WHVVD) in 2002?
The Vietnam War lasted from 1964 till 1973, making it at the time the longest war in American history. At the time of their return, Vietnam veterans were treated very poorly, frequently ridiculed and scorned by anti-war activists and various unwelcoming groups.
Believing no veteran should be treated with disrespect, José G. Ramos, himself a Vietnam veteran and Whittier resident, launched a campaign that would honor all Vietnam veterans.
In 1998, Ramos participated in a 16 day, 1250 mile bicycle ride through Vietnam to help raise awareness of the current situation of Vietnam veterans. The experience would promote his biggest venture in 2004, to ride his bike from Whittier across the United States to Washington D. C.
On March 15, Ramos and a team of veterans rode their bikes across the United States stopping in multiple cities to visit Vet Centers and VA hospitals. When they arrived in Washington on June 7, they petitioned the Administration to declare March 30 as WHVV Day, in memory of their last day of service in Vietnam.
Ramos passed away on Sep. 3, 2017.
In Whittier we celebrate March 30 as José Ramos Day to honor him and all Vietnam veterans. This year the Whittier Museum will be opening an exhibit to pay tribute to the legacy of Ramos on Saturday, March 30. Included in the exhibit will be the bike Ramos rode all the way to Washington.
The following speech was given by Congresswoman Linda Sanchez in support of the bill to rename the Michigan Post Office in honor of Jose Ramos. The speech was given on Oct. 16, 2019 in the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3144, a bill to designate the United States Postal Service Facility located at 8520 Michigan Avenue in Whittier, California, as the Jose Ramos Post Office Building.
Jose Guadalupe Ramos was born September 17, 1948, in East Los Angeles. He enlisted in the Army in 1965, while he was a sophomore at Garfield High School.
Mr. Ramos served this country in Vietnam as an Army combat medic, often risking his own life caring for others. Mr. Ramos was wounded in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Upon returning home, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, yet his passion and commitment to our country and his fellow servicemembers didn't end.
Many of our veterans at the time found themselves caught in and confused by the crossfire of the public debate over the war in Vietnam. At times, some faced sharp criticism and isolation. Mr. Ramos saw this and decided that he was going to do something about it.
He dedicated his time delivering a message of his experience and those of his fellow veterans to all those who would listen, traveling to universities, schools, and prisons to carry this message.
He undertook a grueling cross-country bicycle trek to draw attention to and advocate for the long overdue ``welcome home'' that Vietnam veterans never received.
I was honored to work with Mr. Ramos and the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans organization that he helped found. At his urging, I used the resources of my office to advocate for a national Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. In our years of working together in this cause, I had a true friend and a partner in that effort. Mr. Ramos' passion inspired many.
The memories of what he endured in service to our country remained with him throughout his life. At times, they presented obstacles. However, he cherished the time spent with grandchildren, his participation in religious pilgrimages, and enjoying life's simple pleasures, like the sunrise and sunset of each passing day.
We lost Jose Ramos in 2017 to pancreatic cancer, a loss not only for his wife, Sylvia, his children, and grandchildren, his loss also left a hole in our community in Whittier. Renaming the Whittier Post Office in his honor is a fitting tribute to Jose Ramos and a very small token of gratitude from a grateful nation for his service.