Memorial Day ceremonies coming

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9375 will host a service in honor of veterans that starts at the post, goes to California City Memorial Park and returns to the post.

Flags will be escorted by motorcycle from the post, 21016 Neuralia Road, to the cemetery, 22000 Randsburg Road. All riders are welcome. Interested riders should assemble at 10:15 a.m.; kickstands up at 10:40 a.m. A brief ceremony will be held at California City Memorial Park starting at 11 a.m.

Following the ceremony, all are invited to VFW Post 9375 to share in a potluck luncheon. Covered dishes appreciated. For details, call 760-373-4505

Joshua Memorial Park

VFW Post 3000 will hold a ceremony at 10 a.m., at Joshua Memorial Park, 808 East Lancaster Blvd. The guest speaker at this event will be Tim Bryant Sr., vice commander of the VFW Post 3000.

Lancaster Cemetery

The historic Lancaster Cemetery, part of the Antelope Valley Cemetery District in the heart of the city, will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at 9 a.m., at the Veterans Court of Honor inside the cemetery at 111 East Lancaster Blvd.

The Marine Corps League, Detachment No. 930, led by John Graves will present the colors and Antelope Valley Young Marines will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Marine Corps Cap. Kristen D. Parsons will sing the National Anthem and Bishop Henry Hearns, pastor emeritus for the Living Stone Cathedral of Worship, will deliver the invocation.

Antelope Valley Blue Star Mothers and representatives from the Antelope Valley Marine Corps League, Detachment No. 930 will place the military service wreaths on a memorial casket. Cemetery trustees Dave Owens, Richard Cook and Christine Ward will place a wreath representing the circle of life.

This year the Lancaster Cemetery welcomes special guests and dignitaries from the City of Palmdale, who will give the opening remarks.

Keynote speaker Navy veteran Phil Roberts will also perform the bell ceremony with Dayle DeBry, manager of the Antelope Valley Cemetery District, to honor those who have passed since Memorial Day 2022.  In closing, the first vice commander and chaplain for the American Legion Post No. 348, Palmdale, will recite a closing prayer followed by taps by John Graves.

The Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony program at Lancaster Cemetery will honor the memory and service of those men and women from all wars and conflicts who have served so that we may continue to live our lives in freedom.

For details, call DeBry or Linda Blanco, assistant manager at Antelope Valley Cemetery District, at 661-942-6110.

Mojave Cemetery

Sponsored by the East Kern Cemetery District, the Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the Mojave Cemetery, 2040 Belshaw St.

This year’s guest speaker will be Air Force veteran David Robledo. He served his country for 22 years as an armament system technician and obtained the rank of master sergeant. Robledo served in the Gulf War and is now a civil servant at Edwards Air Force Base, where he supervises 15 active-duty aircraft technicians who evaluate new aircraft system designs.

For details, call 661-824-2778.

The cemetery is home to the graves of more than 450 men who served in the US military, dating from a Spanish-American War veteran to this century’s conflict with Iraq.