Page 3 - Aerotech News and Review, May 28, 2021

Local Observances
Palmdale to host annual

Memorial Day ceremony

The City of Palmdale will host a Memorial Day Ceremony at 9 a.m., May 31, at 9 a.m. at Poncitlán Square
Gazebo, 38315 9th Street East, Palmdale.
The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and attendees are encouraged to bring their own
chairs and handheld umbrellas to offer protection from the sun. COVID-19 safety protocols including facial
coverings and social distancing will be required.
The emcee will be Palmdale Planning Commissioner Stacia Nemeth. The program will include remarks from
Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer, City Manager J.J. Murphy and Dr. David Smith, Director of Air Force Plant
42; posting of colors by the Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) Blue Eagles Honor Guard; invocation by VFW
Post 3000 Chaplain Fred Villa; National Anthem by Past Chairman Antelope Valley Service Organization As-
sociation (AVSOA) Bobby Breech; Pledge of Allegiance by Mayor Pro Tem Laura Bettencourt; reading of John
McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields” by retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bob Kay; reading of Moina Belle Michael’s
“We Shall Keep the Faith” by Goldstar granddaughter and founder of Heroes at Home Ellie Kay; the Table of
Honor by Edwards AFB Blue Eagles Honor Guard; and keynote address by Ron Reyes, Gold Star Son of PFC
Ronald Reyes, who was killed in action on March 30, 1968, in Khe Sanh, Vietnam.
For more information, call 661-267-5611.
Mojave marking Memorial Day at Mojave Cemetery

The Mojave Transportation Museum Foundation and East Kern
Cemetery District are joining together for a Memorial Day Ceremony
to honor those who have given all to America.
The ceremony will be at the Mojave Cemetery and begins at 11
a.m., on May 31, 2021. We would be pleased if you would join us in
remembering Those Who Gave Their All.
Our Keynote Speaker will be Robert “Stambo” Stambovsky, a Viet-
nam combat veteran, commissioned from the ranks. He had three years
active duty as a U.S. Army Medic in Southeast Asia and was honorably
discharged in June 1967.
He joined the Marine Air Reserve in November 1968, Marine attack
Squadron 142, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., while completing
college. He served a total of 39 years before retiring from the Marine
Corps Reserve in 2004, after completing a tour with Operation Endur- Guest speaker Robert “Stambo”
ing Freedom. Stambovsky
National cemeteries plan Memorial Day events

Veterans Affairs national cemeteries will allow mass flag place- every day.” open to the public.
ments across the U.S. to commemorate Memorial Day. McDonough will preside over the wreath laying at Quantico The VA will also debut new features on the Veterans Legacy Me-
This is one of many events and ceremonies scheduled this year National Cemetery in Virginia on Friday, May 28. Acting Deputy morial site in time for Memorial Day. Originally launched in 2019,
and consistent with the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. Carolyn Clancy and Acting Un- See VA, Page 4
Prevention guidance. der Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ron Walters will do the same
Volunteers wishing to place flags should contact their local na- at Baltimore and Hampton national cemeteries, respectively. Memorial Day at
tional cemetery. Live streaming, recorded video and photographs from these and
“Memorial Day is a sacred day where we remember the men and other ceremonies will be shared on the National Cemetery Adminis- Bakersfield National
women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom,” VA tration’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Secretary Denis McDonough said. “We can never forget these he- In addition, all 155 VA national cemeteries will be open Memorial Cemetery
roes nor the families who continue to grieve the loss of their mother, Day weekend from dawn to dusk. Cemeteries with full staffs will
father, son, daughter, sister or brother who stood in the gap for each also hold brief wreath-laying ceremonies followed by a moment of With Memorial
of us to maintain the very democracy that we are able to treasure silence and taps over Memorial Day weekend, but these will not be Day just around the
corner, the National
Cemetery Admin-
Memorial Day at Riverside National Cemetery istration will per-
mit placement of
Thanks to easing of restrictions by the VA Na- individual flags on
tional Cemetery Administration, the Riverside gravesites this year
National Cemetery will once again host Flag at Bakersfield Na-
Placing on May 29. tional Cemetery.
The cemetery will provide the flags, and vol- However, it will
unteers will place them on the gravesites. be outside of the
“normal” way we
For more information about volunteering, con- used to conduct this
tact Brennan Leininger at 714-325-8301. event pre-COVID so
The Riverside National Cemetery is located carefully read below
at 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, in Riverside, before you consider
Calif. For more information, visit https://www. assisting.
cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/riverside.asp or call 951- In order for us to
653-8417. See BAKERSFIELD, Page 4

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