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T U E S DAY, M AY 31, 2 02 2
Honoring America’s heroes Memorial Day service at Santa Barbara Cemetery salutes the military, first responders; ceremonies held throughout county By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
A crowd of at least a thousand people listened as Howard Hudson and Bob Burtness played “Taps” on their bugles to honor those who have given their lives for America. That was the scene Monday at the Santa Barbara Cemetery in Montecito, where the same audience looked toward the flag and later up at the sky for a flyover by four Texan T-16 planes from the Van Nuys-based Condor Squadron. Their passes included the missing man formation. Before that, the Santa Barbara Choral Society sang “Shenandoah” and “America the Beautiful” before an audience of veterans from various wars and their families, friends and supporters. That is how Memorial Day was observed during the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation service, one of several throughout Santa Barbara County. Elsewhere, Vandenberg Space Force officials spoke at a program at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Solvang, and veterans were honored during programs at cemeteries in Goleta, Carpinteria and Santa Maria. The large Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation ceremony in Montecito stood out this year for being the first time that first responders were honored as well as the military. That point was emphasized as former Navy Lt. Bill Blankenship, the foundation’s founder, introduced those seated near the podium. Among them were Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill
Brown, Interim Santa Barbara Police Chief Bernard Melekian (a Coast Guard veteran), Santa Barbara City Fire Chief Chris Mailes, Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig and Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor. At one point, the law enforcement and fire departments’ leaders stood, turned and applauded the long row of firefighters, deputies, police officers and California Highway Patrol troopers seated behind the podium. “In my humble opinion, it is these people behind me and all the vets here that make this nation so great,” Lt. Blankenship told the audience. “I feel like we’re all part of a team, and I feel there’s a strong bond between these individuals and us military veterans,” he said. Lt. Blankenship went on to praise first responders for dedicating their careers to 24/7 service to the community and called them “wonderful people.” Earlier in the ceremony, retired Marine Brigadier Gen. Fred Lopez raised the question at the podium of whether Memorial Day is observed or celebrated. He went on to say during his address that while deaths are mourned, Memorial Day celebrates what troops gave their lives for: American principles. “The idea of America is arguably the most significant in human history,” Gen. Lopez said. “It is an idea spawned by a small group of people who took great risks three centuries ago to begin a new life individually and collectively. Please see MEMORIAL on A4
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
“Taps” is played by Howard Hudson and Bob Burtness during the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation’s Memorial Day Service Monday at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Above, First responders listen to David Lopez sing the national anthem. Below, former Navy Lt. John Blankenship, left, who founded the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation, listens as retired Brigadier Gen. Fred Lopez gives an address at Monday’s ceremony.
Four T-16 Texans fly over the Santa Barbara Cemetery to honor those who have given their lives for America.
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