Memorial Day: A roundup of weekend ceremonies to honor fallen military

Pensacola News Journal
·3 min read

Several official ceremonies are planned across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties this weekend to honor fallen military. Here are a few of the most prominent.

Sunday

Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park

The Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Pensacola invites active-duty military personnel, veterans, families and all community members to attend the Memorial Day Ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday at Veterans Memorial Park, 200 S. 10th Ave.

The guest speaker will be retired U.S. Navy Capt. Robert "Hoot" Gibson, a former naval officer and aviator, test pilot and aeronautical engineer who also successfully completed five space flights as an astronaut.

A Marine Corps Color Guard will present the colors and the Pensacola Opera Chorus will perform a patriotic medley of songs. In addition, the Pensacola Children's Chorus and McGuire's Pipe Band will also be featured at the ceremony. A Marine Corps bugler and honor guard will close the ceremony by rendering honors. More info: veteransmemorialparkpensacola.org.

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Public access: For one day only, public granted access to NAS Pensacola, lighthouse and Aviation Museum

Monday

Veterans Memorial Plaza Memorial Day Ceremony

The Veterans Memorial Plaza's annual Memorial Day ceremony will be take place at 10 a.m. at 5191 Willing St. in Milton in remembrance of the brave men and women who gave their lives while serving our country.

The ceremony will feature:

  • Welcome: Don Salter, Santa Rosa County Veteran's Memorial Foundation

  • Present colors: Milton High School Navy Junior ROTC

  • Invocation

  • National anthem: Milton High School chorus

  • Post colors: Milton High School Navy Junior ROTC

  • Proclamations: Santa Rosa County Commission Chairman Bob Cole and Milton Mayor Heather Lindsey

  • Intro of speaker: Salter

  • Keynote speaker: Lt. Cmdr. Chaplain David Rozanek, NAS Whiting Field

  • Amazing Grace: Santa Rosa Pipes and Drums

  • Wreath presentation by veterans organizations

  • Taps: Milton High School band

  • Benediction: Pastor Jim Liberacki, East Side Baptist Church

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be canceled.

Memorial Day ceremony at Navarre Park

In the south end of Santa Rosa County, a Memorial Day ceremony will be take place at 11 a.m. at Navarre Park, 8513 Navarre Parkway. The Navarre High School Honor Guard and Navy Junior ROTC will provide the color guard, national anthem singers and buglers for Taps. Various local organizations will lay wreaths in memoriam. The Navarre American Legion Post 382 will serve lunch following the ceremony.

Memorial Day Concert

This annual Pensacola Memorial Day concert is back for the first time since the pandemic and is packed with music and special guest conductor Frank Emond, a Pensacola resident and Pearl Harbor survivor. The event is at 6 p.m. Monday at Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St.

At age 104, Emond will break his own record once again that he set back in 2019 when he conducted the Pensacola Civic Band and was named the oldest conductor with Guinness World Records. Attendees should bring chairs or blankets for outdoor seating. More info can be found at pensacolaremembers.org or 850-484-1847.

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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: A Memorial Day roundup of weekend ceremonies to honor fallen military