Loma Vista 79th Annual Memorial Day - Fullerton

I had the privilege of covering the 79th annual Memorial Day ceremony at Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton, Ca. It is the oldest Memorial Day ceremony in California. Volunteers come at 3:30 in the morning to set up 4,000 flags and crosses around the cemetery.

This year the Air Force was celebrated. Any veterans or active service members are invited to receive a thank you card and have a complimentary photograph taken.

Not all of the veterans were alive to participate.

About 2,000 people attended this year's event.

The Fullerton Fire Department attended as they do every year.

The keynote speaker usually gets flown in by the Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter but they had to respond to an emergency at the last minute this year so the Fullerton Police Department gave him a street escort.

Brigadier General James Dawkins Jr., U.S. Air Force - Deputy Director for Nuclear, Homeland Defense and Current Operations for the Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Local JROTC units kicked off the ceremony.

Followed by the Fullerton Police Department Color Guard.

Master of Ceremonies and organizer, Ed Paul.

The empty chair for the POW's.

Each song for the five branches of the armed forces were sung and members of that branch were encouraged to stand and be recognized.

Everyone sings along when God Bless the USA is played.

The amazingly loud gun salute by the Fullerton Police Department. No matter how many times I sit through it I jump a foot in the air when they fire.

Followed by a duo of trumpets playing Taps - it gets me every time.

Click here for all the photos.

If you were involved in this event and would like a copy of an image please contact me at brian@fmkphoto.com.

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Thanks for visiting!