Veterans Day Ceremony Honors Those Who Served, Recalls Those Still Missing In Action

More than 200 people turned out for a Veterans Day ceremony at San Leandro's midday Thursday.

This 26th annual event was the first without San Leandro's "flag man," Martin Francis, . Francis, noted for his devotion to the U.S. flag, would have been 85 Thursday.

Connie Guaraglia, with the Marine Corps League in San Leandro, led a tribute to those missing in action: 78,000 from World War II; 8,100 from the Korean War; and 1,750 from Vietnam.

Standing over a table with an empty chair and other symbolic items, Guaraglia read a poem as the audience chanted "freedom" each time she referred to the fact that missing servicemen and their families paid the "price."

More than a dozen World War II veterans in the audience received special mention. Vice Mayor Michael Gregory, noting that his father served in World War II, delivered a brief speech recalling that era.

"Whether on the home front or on the front lines, Americans were united," he said.

The final act in the ceremony was a flag raising dedicated to Adam Figueroa, who died in June at age 77 after long being active in East Bay veterans organizations.

As four generations of surviving family members looked on, a flag dedicated to his honor was raised, at half mast, at the Senior Center's flag pole.

After the event, Guadalcanal veteran Ken Goulardt, who attended with his wife, Dorothy, broke the solemnity with a wisecrack.

A San Lorenzo resident and former Marine, Goulardt said he was a Medal of Honor winner, pausing to deliver the punch line — awarded by the women of New Guinea.