San Diego

Family, Friends, Servicemembers Commemorate the Fallen on Memorial Day

A lone bugler stood and, as everyone was silent, played a mournful rendition of 'Taps' to mark Memorial Day.

On Sunday, Miramar National Cemetery held its seventh Annual Memorial Day Service. It was an emotional day for those who came to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in service to the county.

"On Memorial Day weekend our country honors and remembers the more than 1 million men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out their duties in America's armed forces," Coast Guard Capt. Joseph R. Buzzella Jr. said.

Hundreds of veterans, active-duty military and their family members attended the memorial service at Miramar National Cemetery on the west side of Marine Corps Air Station. Flowers and flags were placed in front of headstones at the cemetery.

"Thousands of San Diegans have sacrificed their lives in defense of this great nation in almost every single conflict," Douglas Scholl said. "It's important that we pay tribute and memorialize their legacy."

Sandy Munger attended the ceremony to honor those who died serving the country and to remember her father, a sailor who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam wars. 

"I'm just so proud of him and I'm just so proud of all the other men and women who have served our country and made us free," she said.

As people were taking the time to gather and be grateful and taking a moment to reflect and pray, it's important to remember the people who paid the ultimate sacrifice, Jason Zabala said.

"They're not just names," he said. "They're family. They're friends. They're people that are really close to us."

Buzzella, who's the featured speaker at the service, closed out his speech by asking people to keep the memories of these servicemembers alive.

"Keep them in your thoughts and let us not lose vision of the freedoms the sacrifices preserved to protect our nation and defend the United States of America," he said.

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