Originally intended as a temporary display to be removed when US troops returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, the crosses remain as a tribute to those who lost their lives.
Thank You Veterans
Today, is Memorial Day, unofficially, the first weekend of summer, and the San Francisco Bay Area weather is cooperating with all outdoor festivities. I hope your Memorial Day weekend is going well.
Memorial Day is our chance to remember and celebrate those who died in service to our country. I have been posting about Memorial Day for some time, but today’s post starts with some history, and a list of some of the more popular San Francisco Bay Area Memorial Day Events is listed below.
How Memorial Day Started
Memorial Day was originally celebrated as Decoration Day on May 30, 1868, in Columbus, Mississippi, to honor Confederate soldiers killed at the Battle of Shiloh. In 1868, Decoration Day was observed at Arlington Cemetery with flowers and small American flags placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers. Since then, the honor has extended to all those who died defending the United States and our Freedom, during World Wars I & II, The Korean Conflict, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world.
Initially, being buried at a national cemetery was not considered an honor, but it ensured that service members whose families could not afford to bring them home for a funeral were given a proper burial. The Memorial Day celebration is one reason why Arlington transformed from being one of many national cemeteries into the premier national military cemetery.
The event was so popular that in 1873, an amphitheater was constructed to hold the official ceremonies. (Renamed the James Tanner Amphitheater, it reopened in 2019 after restoration.) Beginning in the late 1870s, high-ranking veterans began requesting burial in the Officers’ Sections. Approximately 400,000 veterans and their eligible dependents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Lafayette Hillside Memorial
The picture above is the Lafayette Hillside Memorial. The memorial was established in 2006 for soldiers who gave their lives in the Iraq War. The annual vigil will be held in their honor tonight from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
Memorial Day Observances
If you are looking for someplace to observe Memorial Day and give your thanks to those that served. Here is a listing of a few of the activities that are happening in our area:
- San Francisco – Memorial Day Commemoration at the Presidio – 10:30 AM @ 1 Lincoln Blvd.
- Alameda – Memorial Day Commemoration on the USS Hornet – 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM @ 707 W Hornet Ave.
- Mountain Vie – Vietnam 50th Anniversary event at the Mountain View Veterans Memorial recognizing that “Not All Came Home” – 11:00 AM @ 650 Franklin St.
- Antioch – Memorial Day Ceremony at Oak View Memorial Park – 8:00 AM @ 2500 E 18th St.
- Danville -Viet Nam Veterans of Diablo Valley at Oak Hill Park – 10:30 am
- San Ramon – Memorial Park on Monday – 9 a.m
- Walnut Creek – Memorial Day Celebration in the Gazebo at Walnut Creek Civic Park – 11:00 AM @ 1375 Civic Dr.