Despite looming clouds, a dedicated crowd attended Sunday's observance of Memorial Day in the National Cemetery. Guest speaker Deputy Chief Steven Xiarhos, of the Yarmouth Police Department, spoke of the solemn remembrances of the day.
Deputy Chief Xiarhos, is a gold star father in honor of his oldest son, Nicholas, who died at age 21 on the battlefield during Operation Enduring Freedom. He died while rescuing fellow Marines in Helmand Province Afghanistan, July 2009.
After the ceremony, attendees walked amongst 56,000 Flags, formally not allowed on the graves. Saturday's Placement of the flags, previous to the ceremony, was part of a 2011 campaign by Paul Monti, the father of Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti, who was killed in Afghanistan in June 2006. The flags will remain for a week following the holiday.
New computers in the visitors center were used to locate family and friends buried in the cemetery. The sun broke through the clouds as the veterans, families and friends roamed the grounds, paying respect to those who gave their lives for their country.
Watch a video slide show of the sights and sounds of Sunday's ceremony.
