BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Memorial day is a time for the community to come together to honor those we’ve lost.
Multiple events across the county were done to pay tribute to these warriors. Hundreds of community members filled the seats in multiple locations.
Across the city, Bakersfield honored all of its fallen heroes. 17 News attended four ceremonies with the same objective: to give respect to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Commemorations were given for soldiers who never made it home. Memorial day is about community and paying respect to those we’ve lost.
“That’s what today is all about,” Dick Taylor, Trustee with Historic Union Cemetery, said. “To remember those and continue to honor them and remember that’s why as a nation we are free like this because of the men and women that stepped up to the plate and wore the uniform of our military.”
Historic Union Cemetery, Greenlawn Cemetery and Hillcrest Memorial Park all hosted ceremonies. City leaders spoke, songs were sung and tears were shed. Many veterans looked back at family and friends who never made it home.
“Memorial day to me is to honor our brothers and sisters in arms that never returned from the wars no matter where they were or what the time period,” Larry Bailey, a Vietnam Veteran, said.
Speeches were given by local high schoolers to show the importance of the commemoration.
“Without them, our very way of life may not look the same the way it does today,” Nicolas Beltran, student at Caesar Chavez High School, said.
In the end, today is a day of remembrance, and community leaders want to remind everyone it’s just that, a day for our fallen heroes.
“If you want to have a barbeque, that’s cool but always remember that today is the day that we remember those that served in the military and those that died and so that we can be here today,” Taylor said.
City leaders say it shouldn’t just be this weekend we honor our fallen, but instead every day.
