The flag is raised at the Benicia Military Cemetery at a previous Memorial Day ceremony. (Photo by Wally Stephens)

Memorial Day is coming up, and once again, Benicia will be honoring those who died in combat as well as living veterans and soldiers currently fighting overseas with its annual celebration at the Benicia Military Cemetery.

Located in the Arsenal, the Benicia cemetery is considered the oldest military cemetery on the West Coast, with graves dating back to the 1840s. Many names of those interred have been lost to history, and the graves are marked “Unknown.” The cemetery also has burial spots for German and Italian prisoners of war and pets of military personnel. The cemetery stopped permitting new burials in 1958 but is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been painted for the Army by greenskeeper Kathren Vanier and her husband James.

This year’s ceremony will be dedicated to World War II veterans, some of whom plan to be in attendance. The year also marks the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I.

The day will commence with a raising of the cemetery’s garrison flag at 8 a.m. Retired Navy Master Chief and Benicia Historical Society President Larry Miller will be presiding as master of ceremonies. Among the events planned:

* Music performed by The Diablo Regional Concert Band, directed by Cora Martens.

* Color guard courtesy of Benicia VFW post 3928, Benicia American Legion Post 101, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion.

* A rifle salute performed by the Military History Preservation Society.

* The Military Oath of Enlistment, recited by CSM Roberto O. Marshall-Rosales, Presidio of Monterey.

* Taps performed by buglers and “Amazing Grace” performed by bagpiper Lloyd Christiansen.

* A wreath-laying ceremony to honor the interred, including American soldiers, German and Italian POWs, and military pets. Participants in this ceremony include VFW and American Legion post commanders, representatives of German-American and Italian-American societies, and scouts.

* A military fly-over ceremony is anticipated.

Light refreshments will follow the ceremony.

Additionally, the main speaker will be Col. Lawrence T. Brown, the garrison commander of the Presidio of Monterey, a position he has held since 2016. Brown previously served as intelligence director of Special Operations Command South in Homestead, Fla. He was also the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan intelligence director in Kabul from 2013 to 2014, earned a masters degree in strategic studies from the Army War College in 2012, served as the director of operations for the Office of the Defense Representative, U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, commanded the 532nd Military Intelligence Battalion in South Korea and was the 66th Military Brigade’s intelligence officer and has held many other military intelligence positions for more than 20 years. KTVU will be interviewing Brown during their broadcast of the ceremonies on Monday morning.

The ceremony will begin at 8 a.m., Monday, May 29 at the Benicia Military Cemetery, located on Hospital Road. Simply take Military East through the Arsenal, turn left on Hospital Road and follow signs for the cemetery. There will also be a free SolTrans shuttle operating at 7:45 a.m. between the City Park at the corner of First Street and Military West and the cemetery.

For more information, contact Wally Stephens of the Benicia Historical Society at walman@sbcglobal.net.

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