Photos of Pleasanton’s annual Memorial Day observance

Here are photos from Pleasanton’s annual Memorial Day observance where hundreds turned out for the annual tribute to veterans last Monday.

The event, hosted by the American Legion Pleasanton Post 237 with the assistance of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Pleasanton Post 6298, honored all military veterans including those now on active duty and especially those who died while serving their country.

The Pleasanton Community Concert Band under the direction of Bob Williams opened the ceremony with a program of patriotic music in tribute to veterans being honored.

The keynote speaker was Army Colonel Paul Marnon, who served in Afghanistan and is now deputy commander for the Pacific Training Division at Camp Parks in Dublin.

Other speakers included Pleasanton Mayor Jerry Thorne; Kurt Heuer, commander of VFW Post 6298, and Richard Ghera, adjutant of American Legion Post 237.

Georganne Seavey of the Blue Star Moms in Danville sang the National Anthem with the Rev. Richard Rogers, pastor of Faith Chapel Church in Pleasanton, delivering the invocation.

During the ceremony, the Legion also honored Christina Mitne, a senior at Foothill High School, for earning the Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts, and Christopher Azuma, a senior at Amador Valley High School who won this year’s American Legion Oratorical Contest.

The program concluded with the playing of Taps by the Pleasanton Community Concert Band and a 21-gun salute, honoring veterans who lost their lives while serving the country.