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The sound of bag pipes filled the air at the Cerritos Memorial Day Ceremony this past week. Daniel E. Beckham Photo
By Daniel E. Beckham
Officials throughout Southeast Los Angeles County gathered this past Monday to pay tribute to fallen American heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice to America to mark Memorial Day ceremonies.
A Battle Cross Ceremony took place in the City of Cerritos to pay tribute to Lance Corporal Matthew R. Rodriguez, 19, of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, who was ‘Killed in Action’ on December 13th, 2013 in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The fallen hero was a member of the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion.
Mayor Mark Pulido and other Cerritos City Council Members also honored other fallen war heroes with a memorial wreath laying and offered a moment of silence. The Cerritos College Community Band performed the patriotic selection of ‘America the Beautiful’ to commemorate all veterans fallen or alive.
Norwalk Mayor Marcel Rodarte, a Veteran of the Air Force, led the Memorial Day Ceremony in Norwalk. Photo by Daniel E. Beckham
In Norwalk several hundred residents gathered near the City Hall Patriot’s Concourse to listen to Mayor Marcel Rodarte who offered emotional uplifting remarks about those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Rodarte, a retired United States Air Force Senior Master Sergeant (E-8), paid tribute to his father John Rodarte Sr., who served in the Vietnam War as a Corporal in the Marine Corps.
The Norwalk All City Band also offered a Musical Interlude to all fallen heroes.
American Legion Officers & the Norwalk City Council also offered a wreath to recognize those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and for our nation. The ceremony ended with all members who attended placing flowers on the wreath.
The City of Artesia also paid tribute to honor fallen Civil War heroes at their annual ceremony held at Artesia Cemetery across from Gahr High School.
Members of the Artesia/Cerritos Women’s Club decorated the headstones of military members who have died from wars tracing back all the way to the Civil War.
