The Seal Beach community paused around 11 a.m., Monday, May 27, to mark Memorial Day and honor those who paid for our freedoms with their lives.
Ceremonies marked the day in Leisure World, at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and in Eisenhower Park.
Ed Hull was one of the guest speakers. Hull was in his college ROTC program when he was given the opportunity to become a pilot. This led him to serve in Vietnam.
“I believe that it was God that saved me during that combat tour,” Hull said.
Hull said he was grateful for the choice he made. He served for 20 years and then went into aerospace.
Cade Powell, a freshman at Los Alamitos High School, spoke to the assembled gathering about what Memorial Day means to him, the child of a member of the military.
As he grew up, he said, he noticed that his peers and even older people did not understand the purpose of Memorial Day.
He said his father joined the service before he and his sister were born. When he was younger, he was sad when his father was away for a long time and always happy when his father returned hom.
The Southeast County Young Marines presented the colors. The Grace Community Church Choir sang the National Anthem. Pastor Bob Wriedt (senior pastor at Grace Community Church) offered the opening prayer. District One Councilman Kalmick was seen standing on the green grass among the others who came to pay their respects. Mayor Pro-Tem Schelly Sustarsic also spoke.
American Legion Post Commander Beverly Bonney performed the POW/MIA Rememberancea.
Just as the service endeded, a World War II airplane flew overhead. After the Memorial Day Service, a remembrance was held for Lion veteran and past chair of the Military Affairs Committee Les Shobe.
