San Diegans will have multiple opportunities to honor those who lost their lives in service to the nation this Memorial Day weekend.
On Saturday:
- USS Midway Museum will begin commemorations at noon with a live performance by the Imperial Valley Master Chorale on the flight deck.
- San Diego FC will host LA Galaxy at 1:45 p.m. at Snapdragon Stadium.
On Sunday:
- Visitors can meet real aviators at the USS Midway Museum and ask about the aircraft they flew, beginning at 10 a.m.
- Miramar National Cemetery will host its annual Memorial Day service at 1 p.m. The guest speaker will be Vice Adm. Dan Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces. More than 30,000 veterans and their family members are interred at the cemetery.
- San Diego Wave FC will host North Carolina Courage at 7 p.m. at Snapdragon Stadium.
On Monday:
- USS Midway Museum will host a a commemorative wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. featuring World War II Navy veteran guest speakers, the National Anthem performed by a Navy Band Southwest vocalist, a “missing man flyover” and the tossing of a memorial wreath over the side of the ship. At noon, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Arizona Band will perform, with a second performance at 2:15 p.m. Bonita Vista High School’s Music Machine will play at 12:30 p.m. followed by a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.
- Fort Rosecrans will host its annual Memorial Day Ceremony. While the federal military cemetery is closed to new interments, it is the final resting place for historic figures, including 19 men who served under Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Kearny and died in the 1846 Battle of San Pasqual, now part of San Diego. A total of 23 Medal of Honor winners are buried in the cemetery on the Point Loma Peninsula.
- The Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony. The event will feature music from Marine Band San Diego, a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps before the presentation of plaques honoring San Diego native, Seaman Lakiba Nicole Palmer, and her fellow shipmates, along with a flyover.
- Petco Park will welcome back the Padres against the Miami Marlins for a holiday homestand at 5:40 p.m. The Blue, Orange or Green Lines go directly to the ballpark. Additional service will run before and after the game.
At Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial, a plaque dedication and tribute will be paid to Palmer, and 16 of her fellow U.S. Navy sailors who lost their lives aboard the USS Cole on Oct. 12, 2000, when it was attacked by terrorists in a small boat laden with explosives.
“Memorial Day is a sacred day of remembrance, a time to honor those who gave everything for our freedom,” said Neil O’Connell, executive director of the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association. “This year, we are especially mindful of the 25th anniversary of the attack on the USS Cole and the brave sailors who perished. These 17 heroes represent the thousands of individuals we honor on Memorial Day. Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of all who have died in service, will always be remembered.”…