Local residents will have several opportunities on Monday to commemorate Memorial Day with reverence and respect.
The Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta cemeteries will hold events centered on remembering the sacrifice of the fallen and supporting those returning from service overseas.
Peter Bie, president of the Santa Barbara Chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America, organizes the Carpinteria event, and said the ceremony has seen a large increase in attendance since the United States became involved in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Speakers scheduled to appear at the Carpinteria cemetery, 1501 Cravens Lane, include the founder of Purple Star Families, an organization providing support to veterans returning from combat and educating people on the possibility of life-changing effects of combat before they enlist.
The service will also feature a presentation of wreaths, a reading of the names of the service members from Carpinteria who have been killed in action, and it will conclude with a cannon salute and the playing of “Taps.”
The memorial at the Santa Barbara Cemetery, 901 Channel Drive, will pay special tribute to the 60-year anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice and includes a speech by retired Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Frederick Lopez, a Santa Barbara native and Korean War veteran.
Other tributes include a speech by Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, a presentation of wreaths representing the 11 veterans organizations in the Santa Barbara community, and a bagpiper.
The Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Museum & Library is sponsoring the Santa Barbara ceremony, and has arranged for World War II-era aircraft to perform a flyover for the Santa Barbara and Carpinteria Memorial Day events near the end of their services around 10:45 a.m. Monday.
The Santa Barbara Veterans Memorial Building, 112 W. Cabrillo Blvd., will host several speakers following the Santa Barbara Cemetery memorial service and provide lunch for attendees.
While Carpinteria and Santa Barbara’s ceremonies are coordinated to begin at 10 a.m., the Goleta Cemetery’s memorial will begin at its traditional start time of 9 a.m. It will feature former and present service members, a laying of wreaths, bagpiper Bill Boetticher playing “Amazing Grace,” and bugler Eileen Francis playing “Taps.” The Goleta Cemetery is located at 44 S. San Antonio Road.
People unable to attend one of these events can still honor those that served and died for their nation by observing the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.
— Noozhawk intern Jordon Niedermeier can be reached at jniedermeier@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.