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Memorial Day Celebrations In The East Bay

Memorial Day is Monday, May 27th. Commemoration of all the men and women who have died in military service takes place at parks and cemeteries and even aboard the USS Hornet aircraft carrier. Watch helicopters flying in, enjoy free community BBQs, local community bands, keynote speakers and members of all the armed forces joining in with scout troops to pay respects. Even classic cars are on display along with bomb squad vechicles and a fire department display. Wherever you are in the East Bay, you will find a commemoration near you to join.

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Alameda Veterans Memorial Park
Veterans Circle
Alameda, CA 94502Date: May 27, 2013

Admiral Schultz of the Coast Guard will speak at Alameda Veterans Memorial Park. KCBS's Stan Bunger will perform as master of ceremonies and Starbucks will donate coffee to pair with the provided doughnuts. The Mike Wirgler all-city band performs live and an historic helicopter sometimes flies in, once used in unarmed service such as medi-vac. Sea scouts, disabled veterans, Vietnam veterans, ROTC, the police and fire departments will attend this one-hour event. Come on out for this patriotic holiday and celebrate with our county's heroes.

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USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier
USS Hornet Museum
707 W. Hornet Ave.
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 521-8448
www.uss-hornet.org

The USS Hornet is docked peacefully in Alameda. It served in World War II and the Apollo 11 manned space mission. Visitors can spend a night onboard, take flashlight and after-hours tours, check out Apollo artifacts and view the flight deck, navigation bridge, an aircraft propeller, jet and helicopter. Ride the Disneyesque flight simulator, a moving theater that gives you the feeling of being onboard the aircraft as a passenger in flight.

www.mountainviewcemetery.org www.mountainviewcemetery.org

Mountain View Cemetery
5000 Piedmont Ave.
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 658-2588
www.mountainviewcemetery.org

Date: May 27, 2013

Head to the Mountain View Cemetery on Memorial Day for a special Civil War plot tour led by Dennis Evanosky. Evanosky emphasizes the role of Californians in the Civil War. Many northern soldiers lay at rest in Mountain View, surrounded by Civil War canons and canon balls. This monumental and historic cemetery hosts many fascinating and engaging tours full of Californian and American history. Make a trip out on Memorial Day to pay homage to those brave souls no longer with us.

Related: Best Places to Celebrate Presidential and American History around San Francisco

www.lonetreecemetery.com www.lonetreecemetery.com

110th Memorial Day celebration at Lone Tree Cemetery
24591 Fairview Ave.
Hayward, CA 94945
(510) 582-1274
www.lonetreecemetery.com

Date: May 27, 2013

Meet the grand-daddy of all Memorial Day celebrations in the Bay Area. Major General Gary Voellger serves as keynote speaker while various veterans' groups attend along with local Scout troops and Sea Cadets. The Hayward Municipal Band performs and there will be a helicopter flyover with a MASH Bell 47. Check out the classic cars, the County Sheriff's Bomb Squad Vehicle and the local Hayward Firefighters display. The Hayward Area Parks tram shuttles guests around the park and gardens during the program. Lone Tree hosts a free barbecue of hamburgers and hotdogs following the ceremony. Everyone is invited to join in the honoring our local veterans and enjoy the program and picnic. Anticipated attendance is over 1,500 people.

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Pictured: Helen Slater as Eliza Danvers -- Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW -- © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley
Oak Hill Park
3005 Stone Valley Road
Danville, CA 94526
(925) 355-8051
www.vnvdv.com

Date: May 27, 2013; 10:30 a.m. service

The Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley hold an annual commemorative service on Memorial Day. There is usually a guest speaker and F-16 jet fly-overs. Barbecue and other foods will be available for purchase. Danville is a pastoral town with a relaxed western style and cute family bistros and boutiques. The tree-lined Iron Horse bike path fills with pedestrians, bicyclists and even horseback riders on weekends. Make a whole day out of it.

Related: Best Flying Adventures In The Bay Area

Head to CBS San Francisco's Best Of page for more local tips on family fun, shopping, nightlife, food, culture and more!

Cindy Warner is a freelance writer and a San Francisco Bay Area native. Cindy has covered SF theater and opera for Examiner.com via her bicycle since January 2009. Check out her work on Examiner.com.

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