Memorial Day observances throughout the region

With speeches and songs, flags and flowers, Valley and foothill communities are honoring fallen defenders of our country through the holiday weekend. A roundup of Memorial Day observances:

TODAY

SATURDAY

For a full list of scheduled events during Not Forgotten Memorial Day Weekend, see http://thememorialweekend.org.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

At 1 p.m. at Modesto Pioneer Cemetery, 908 Scenic Drive, next to Acacia Memorial Park, the Genealogical Society of Stanislaus County will offer a tour of the cemetery mausoleum. Honor the 150th anniversary of the Civil War by visiting the final resting place of Civil War veterans: 1st Sgt. Cyrus Case, Co. C, 1st Maine Cavalry; Pvt. James G. Elmore, Co. D, MO Cavalry, CSA; Cpl. Hubbard L. Hart, Co. A, 3rd WI Infantry; Sgt. Bailey P. Hogin, MO Cavalry, CSA; Pvt. Isaac Zion, Co. A, 14th IA Infantry. For more information, call Janet Lancaster at (209) 529-9021.

Joe Rykert will sing the national anthem, “America the Beautiful” and and lead the audience in “God Bless the USA.” Master of ceremonies will be A.E. Menshew, past commander, American Legion Post 74. U.S. Naval Sea Cadets, Modesto Division, will post the colors.

Keynote speakers are Frank Machado, past department commander, American Legion, Department of California, on the topic “How Lucky We Are”; Stanislaus County Supervisor Dick Monteith; Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen, R-Riverbank; U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock; and Adrian Condit, pastor of Freewill Baptist Church in Ceres.

Also on the program, bagpiper George Harcrow will play “Amazing Grace” and bugler Wayne Hill will play taps.

In July 1966, Williams volunteered for and received orders for deployment to Southeast Asia aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. He was shot down and captured in April 1967 at Kep Airfield, North Vietnam, during his 62nd combat mission. He was released from Hoa Lo Prison, called by POWs the “Hanoi Hilton,” in March 1973. The final assignment of his Navy career was commanding officer of Naval Air Station Alameda. His combat decorations include two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and seven Air Medals.

After the ceremony, a barbecue lunch will be held at the dedication site. All U.S. military veterans in attendance are invited to a free lunch provided by the Kautz family and Ironstone Vineyards; cost for guests and family is $10. The Calaveras Community Band will perform, and just across the parking lot at the Black Bart Playhouse, free WWII movies will be ongoing until about 2 p.m.

For more, contact Debbie Rocco of the Ebbetts Pass Veterans Memorial District at (209) 728-8180 or roccofamily@comcast.net.

MAY 30

This story was originally published May 22, 2014 at 8:36 PM with the headline "Memorial Day observances throughout the region."