The Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1649 will present their annual Memorial Day ceremony, 11 a.m. May 26 at Santa Barbara Cemetery, 901 Channel Drive.

The free event honors men and women who have served in the United States military. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure a seat. Free parking will be available on-site.

The ceremony begins promptly at 11 a.m. near the cemetery’s main flagpole.

The event will feature keynote speaker Capt. Charlie Plumb, a former U.S. fighter pilot and six-year prisoner of war.

Also on the program are presentations and performances by local groups, including UCSB ROTC Color Guard, Gold Coast Pipe & Drum Band, David Gonzales and the Santa Barbara Choral Society, and The Prime Time Band.

Capt. Plumb started his naval career at the Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego, where he flew the first adversarial flights in the development of what would be called The Navy Fighter Weapons School, now known as “Top Gun.”

He later served in the Vietnam war, completing 74 successful combat missions flying the F-4 Phantom jet.

During his 75th mission, five days before he was scheduled to return home, he was shot down over Hanoi, Vietnam, captured, and then tortured and imprisoned for the next 2,103 days.

After his release from captivity, Plumb continued to serve in the Navy, flying in reserve squadrons until he retired with the rank of captain after 31 years of service.

Today, Plumb shares his story of overcoming hardship and developing resilience with audiences around the world. He discusses strategies on how to cope with life’s challenges, how to find the positive in difficult circumstances, and how to hold onto hope, no matter what.

At the conclusion of the Memorial Day ceremony, The Condor Squadron will perform a flyover in restored North American Aviation At-6/SNJ trainers originally flown during World War II.