"It seems like America's forgotten," said veteran Jim Aldea-Cruz as he stood on the USS Hornet for a wreath-casting ceremony. "We're celebrating when all these soldiers, sailors, airmen sacrificed their lives for our country. They believed in our country."
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With hundreds of people in attendance -- many of them veterans themselves -- the USS Hornet served as a backdrop for one of many Memorial Day remembrances happening around the Bay Area.
After a ceremony inside the ship, at the stern, the playing of "Taps" accompanied the ceremonial casting of the wreath into the bay.
In San Francisco, a similar scene played out at the Presidio, where an interfaith service was held to honor those lost in war.
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"There will be families who have sons, brothers, husbands, wives who are gone, and so it's a time to remember," said Richard Harris, with the Presidio Interfaith Center.
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This year's Memorial Day ceremony on the Hornet took on added significance, given the year that just past.
"I'm very encourage to see us get into the post-COVID part of this year," said U.S. Air Force veteran Jon Haber. "It's been a very tough year. But this is a special day and people recognize that in this area."
"It is very important," said Aldea-Cruz. "We've got to remember our roots. We've got to remember what America stands for."