San Diego

Memorial Day 2017 Ceremonies in San Diego

In a military town like San Diego, there are many ways to pay your respects to our service members on Memorial Day weekend

On Memorial Day, we remember our U.S. military service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. In San Diego, you can visit several sites this holiday weekend to pay your respects.

Here are a few of those locations:

Miramar National Cemetery
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 5795 Nobel Dr.
This 313-acre national cemetery is located on Nobel Drive about 15 miles north of downtown San Diego, at the northwest corner of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. A special Memorial Day ceremony will be held here on Sunday, May 28, at 1 p.m. in the flag pole assembly area. Miramar National Cemetery is typically closed on federal holidays, but will be open on Memorial Day. Fresh-cut flowers may be placed on graves and gravel areas around the Columbarium or on memorial walls and monuments at any time -- not only on Memorial Day.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Cabrillo Memorial Drive
Situated on the Fort Rosecrans Military reservation about 10 miles west of San Diego, Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is typically closed on federal holidays – except for Memorial Day. At VA national cemeteries across the U.S. on Monday, the National Cemetery Administration will host special remembrance ceremonies with the help of communities, including at Fort Rosecrans. The Memorial Day ceremony here is at 10 a.m. at the Rostrum. Earlier in the weekend, volunteers will take part in the cemetery's annual tradition of placing small American flags on the graves of the fallen. In addition to serving as the final resting place of many U.S. military service members, the Fort Rosecrans also houses several monuments and memorials. Fresh-cut flowers may be placed on graves and in the gravel areas around the Columbarium or on memorial walls and monuments at any time – not only on Memorial Day.

Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial
7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive S.
On Memorial Day, the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla will honor Gold Star families in San Diego at its Memorial Day ceremony. The Gold Star first made its appearance during World War I; it was placed over a service flag’s blue star when a service member was killed in combat, signifying a family’s pride in the sacrifice of their loved one. Captain Howard C. Warner III, current Commanding Officer of Naval Base Point Loma will give the keynote address at Monday’s ceremony. The event will include performances by Marine Band San Diego, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Color Guard and a “Fly By” across the memorial conducted by San Diego Performance Team Aircraft. Mt. Soledad is home to more than 4,800 veteran tributes embedded on granite plaques mounted onto walls. It’s open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

These are just a few ways to honor our fallen U.S. military service members on Memorial Day in San Diego. If you're taking part in other ceremonies across the county, let us know in the comments section below.

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