The Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1649 will remember those who gave the greatest sacrifice for their country on Memorial Day.

The free ceremony will be 11 a.m. Monday, May 27 at the Santa Barbara Cemetery, 901 Channel Drive.

A a flyover by The Condor Squadron like the one pictured of four planes against a deep blue sky, will be part of the Memorial Day ceremony. (Courtesy photo)
A a flyover by The Condor Squadron will be part of the May 27 Memorial Day ceremony. (Courtesy photo)

The event includes presentations and performances by the UCSB ROTC Color Guard; Gold Coast Pipe & Drum Band; David Gonzales and the Santa Barbara Choral Society; The Prime Time Band; and a flyover by The Condor Squadron.

During the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner,” 150 white doves will be released.

Guest speakers include Lt. Col. Joe Ruhl, and U.S. Army Commanding Officer UCSB ROTC B Gen. Fred Lopez, USMCR (ret.), a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for 31 years.

“Memorial Day stands as a timeless tribute to honor those who sacrificed everything for our nation,” said PCVF co-founder Lt. John Blankenship (USN, former), who is a VFW Lifetime member.

“We invite the community to join us as we pay homage to their courage, reflect on their service, and renew our commitment to upholding the values they fought to defend,” Blankenship said.

To learn more, visit https://www.pcvf.org/memorial-day-ceremony.

Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation is committed to honoring the men and women who have served in uniform at any time. PCVF does this by supporting veterans and active duty members, and related partner organizations, in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, as well as preserving military history and legacy.

PCVF is funded entirely by private donations. For more, visit pcvf.org or call 805-259-4394.