VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS, PUBLIC INVITED TO VETERANS’ DAY SERVICE AT MIRAMAR NATIONAL CEMETERY
Service will commemorate 1918 WWI Armistice, sacrifices of POWs

Veterans, active duty service members, and members of the public are invited to attend a commemorative service at 3:30 p.m., on Veterans’ Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, at Miramar National Cemetery.

Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert L. Cardenas of San Diego will be the guest speaker. The site of the service is adjacent to the Veterans Tribute Tower & Carillon on the north side of the cemetery.

This year’s service will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. Called “the War to End All Wars”, the conflict resulted in some 37 million civilian and military casualties. More than 7 million military personnel were held as Prisoners of War.

The service also will focus on the sacrifices experienced by POWs in wartime. During World War II, Cardenas was leading an air raid on Germany when his bomber was shot down. He was interned in Switzerland, where he was held as a POW until he managed to escape to France.

The Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation sponsors the Veterans’ Day service, which is coordinated by the cemetery Director and staff. Catherine Fiorelli, Foundation President and CEO, will offer opening remarks. Cemetery Director Rex Kern will welcome guests to the national cemetery.

Chaplain (Lieut.) Latoya V. Zavala, command chaplain at Naval Base Point Loma, will offer the Invocation and Benediction at the service. The service will include patriotic music played by the Carillon, and will conclude with a rendition of “Taps”.

Miramar National Cemetery is located at 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego, between Interstate 805 and Miramar Road west of the Marine Corps Air Station. Free public parking will be available on cemetery streets.

For information about the Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation, go to www.miramarcemetery.org.

For information about Miramar National Cemetery and veterans’ benefits and services, go to www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp /miramar.asp.