Community pays tribute during Memorial Day ceremony

Posted: 7:33 am, May 26, 2015 by Reporter Meagan Friberg

Flags lining the Avenue of the Flags along the Paso Robles Union Cemetery roadways led visitors to the annual Memorial Day ceremony to pay tribute to service members who died serving our country. The flags had once decorated caskets of their fallen soldiers had been donated to the cemetery by family members. Photo by Meagan Friberg

Flags lining the Avenue of the Flags along the Paso Robles District Cemetery roadways lead visitors to the annual Memorial Day ceremony to pay tribute to service members who died serving our country. The flags that had once
decorated caskets of fallen soldiers have been donated to the cemetery by family members. Photos by Meagan Friberg

Annual event honors service members who died serving our country

Hundreds of community members gathered together on Monday morning to honor and remember the country’s fallen heroes at the Paso Robles District Cemetery. The annual Memorial Day ceremony paid tribute to service members who died serving our country including many from the local area.

Approximately 1,000 flags were placed at all identified veterans’ graves by members of the American Legion Post 50 and VFW Post 10965. Lining the Avenue of the Flags along the cemetery’s roadways, flags that had once decorated caskets of their fallen soldiers had been donated to the cemetery by family members.

The program from Monday’s Memorial Day Ceremony share the sentiment, “But his soul goes marching on.”

Following a “V” formation fly over of World War II and other military aircraft by local Estrella Warbirds volunteers and Freedom Flight pilots Bob Kelley, George Marrett, and Wayne Rice, Master of Ceremonies John Erwin, Commander of American Legion Post 50, addressed the crowd.

After an invocation by Deacon Ed Callahan of St. Rose Parish, members of the Paso Robles Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Lieutenant Tim Murphy of the Paso Robles Police Department gave a welcoming speech before introducing Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian as this year’s guest speaker.

“We are here today to pay our respects and to honor our military personnel who have gone before us,” said Achadjian. He also encouraged the crowd to take time to remember the many MIA and POW military members in addition to all veterans and active duty personnel.

Marjorie Hamon led the crowd in three patriotic songs – God Bless America, My County ‘Tis of Thee, and America the Beautiful – with sound provided by Harry Karnafel.

Members of VFW Post 10965, American Legion Post 50, and Sons of American Legion made up an honor guard that provided a 21-gun salute. Mission Prep student Alex von Dohlen, 17, played Taps on his bugle as members of American Legion Riders Chapter 50 closed the ceremony with the raising of the American flag.

Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, second from left, was the guest speaker at this year’s Memorial Day service at the Paso Robles District Cemetery. With him are American Legion Post 50 members Ashley White, Ed Tedeschi and Kevin Bohn along with Roblans of the Year, John and Marjorie Hamon, and Deacon Ed Callahan of St. Rose Parish.

Approximately 1,000 flags were placed at all identified veterans' graves by members of the American Legion Post 50 and VFW Post 10965.

Approximately 1,000 flags were placed at all identified veterans’ graves throughout the Paso Robles District Cemetery by members of the American Legion Post 50 and VFW Post 10965.