The City of Oakley held its Memorial Day Observance Ceremony on Saturday to pay tribute to those who have served this country and gave the ultimate sacrifice.
The ceremony the Presentation of Colors, a performance of the Star Spangled Banner by Freedom High School, the Diablo Sunrise Boy Scouts of America led the Pledge of Allegiance while students spoke about different wars during the Student Remembers Wreath while Nancy Weidenbacher provided the Memorial Day Address. The ceremony was followed with a Volley Salute and Taps and closed with Freedom High School performing America the Beautiful.
Congressmen Jerry McNerney was in attendance and spoke about how he was honored to celebrate with the City of Oakley and encouraged folks to take some time to remember our soldiers.
“Today is a day we remember those brave men and women of our country who didn’t return and I ask every American set aside a few minutes today and Monday among the barbeques and the day off to just give a moment of reflection and thought and thankfulness for those men and women who have made this country the great country it is today,” said McNerney.
Nancy Weidenbacher (U.S.A.F. Vietnam Era Veteran) provided the Memorial Day Address for the ceremony.
“Your presence hear today is a tribute to all the troops and those who have lost their life and it’s a way to remember them,” said Weidenbacher. “I am convinced that there is no one in the world who is braver or more determined than our American soldiers, they are our heroes.”
She shared how they to display the American Flag on Memorial day by flying the flag to the top of the pole and then slowly lowering the flag to half-staff until noontime and raise it to the top of the pole.
Weidenbacher shared a quick story about how she met a Four-Star General when she was 22-years-old. She shared how she was trying to get into position to be able to salute him but had to run and get in place because you cannot salute under an overhang—so she tried to hurry away from the overhang and tripped when preparing to salute.
“I fell and spread eagle about twenty feet from him and his twenty other people around him and I am laying on my stomach and looked up at him and I salute,” said Weidenbacher. “He replied that was the best salute I’ve ever received.”
