Memorial Day is a time to honor those who died serving in combat as well as living veterans and soldiers currently fighting overseas. This year, as in past years, Benicians will have the opportunity to celebrate with a ceremony in the West Coast’s oldest military cemetery.

The Benicia Historical Society will be sponsoring Benicia’s annual Memorial Day celebration, which will once again be celebrated in the Benicia Military Cemetery in the Arsenal. The cemetery was established in 1849 and was the burial spot for more than 200 military personnel until 1958. The site, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was also a post cemetery for the Benicia Barracks, which served as the headquarters for the Army’s Pacific Division. Among the 211 personnel buried there include 61 civilians, German and Italian prisoners of war, 18 people buried in graves marked “unknown” and three pets of military personnel.

The day will commence with a raising of the cemetery’s garrison flag at 8 a.m. The event will continue at 10 a.m. with the Diablo Regional Concert Band performing “God Bless America.” Afterwards, Benicia Historical Society Vice President Jerry Hayes will welcome the crowd, and the Diablo Regional Concert Band will perform the National Anthem. There will also be a brief history of the cemetery provided by Hayes, a prayer led by retired Navy chief Larry Miller, a Pledge of Allegiance led by Benicia’s Girl Scouts troops, poetry read by Johanna Ely and a speech by Ted Wong, a retired major general with the U.S. Army. Wreaths will also be placed for each of the interred, accompanied by the Diablo Regional Concert Band performing “America the Beautiful.”

Additionally, Mark Grisez of the San Francisco Symphony and 2014 Benicia High School graduate Christina O’Brien will be performing taps. Performing for the first time this year will be Lloyd Christiansen who will play “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes.

This year will also mark the return of an Air Force flyover from Travis Air Force Base. According to Wally Stephens of the Benicia Historical Society, staff had not been able to get approval for the flyover in past years from Travis AFB.

“We were very fortunate the last two years to have a fly-over from a USCG helicopter during the ceremony,” he said.

Stephens said that the pilot for the flyover, Capt. Tyler Sanborn, is a Benicia resident.

After the ceremony is over, participants will be invited to enjoy light refreshments. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

The Benicia Military Cemetery is located on Hospital Road. Simply take Military East through the Arsenal part of town, turn left on Hospital Road and follow signs for the cemetery. For more information, email info@beniciahistoricalsociety.org.

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