By Lt Col Juan Tinnirello, CAP (and
pictures, except as noted)
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| Stuart Highlanders Pipe Band |
Saturday, 12
December, 2015 was a sunny and wind free morning that helped to make the
ceremony more enjoyable. Members from Squadrons 18 and 188 were in attendance, as were veterans, soldiers’ family
members and over 100 members of the general public.
This ceremony
started with the Stuart Highlanders Pipe Band saluting each branch of the Armed
Forces with a different song. The
Master of Ceremonies was Kevin Graves, Founder and President of “Some Gave All -
The Joey Graves Foundation”. Then the
colors
where presented by the Daly City Police Department, followed by the
National Anthem, led by Regina Gonnella from the Avenue of Flags Committee. |
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| U.S. Army Veteran William Jackson |
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Kristen Matthias, Regent, San Andreas Lake Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. After that, a call for a minute of silence took place at exactly 9:00 AM. The minute of silence occurred simultaneously, at each National Cemetery across the nation, from Washington DC to Guam, and all the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines were honored.
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| Members of Squadrons 18 and 188 |
After the main
speaker, Lt Col Jeff Brooks from the 23rd Marines, instructions were
given about how to place the wreath on each tombstone.
The closing remarks
were given by Kevin Graves, a Gold Start Father. He was in Afghanistan not too long ago, right
in the battle field. He placed soil from that spot in vials that he presented
to other Gold Start Families attending the event, as remembrance of the place
where their sons/daughters had shed their blood.
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| Sq. 188 Commander, Capt Luis Rivas, placing a wreath with Lt Hipp & Lt Bitz |
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| Attendees placing wreaths. |
1300 wreaths were placed by the attendees in a specific section of the cemetery. Every year, a new section is covered, so eventually all 145,000 tombstones will be honored.
It was a very
moving ceremony and a good way to honor and remember our fallen heroes.
You are invited to
return on Saturday, 2 January, 2016 at 8:00 AM to help with the wreath cleanup.
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| Lt Jim Hipp, Lt Pat Bitz and Lt Col Juan Tinnirello (Photo by volunteer) |
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| Tombstones after wreaths were placed |
