Alameda County Veterans Day Observation

Veterans Day will be observed today with a ceremony at Alameda Veterans Memorial Park on Bay Farm Island.

In keeping with tradition, the event will commence at 11 a.m., the hour when the World War I Armistice was signed at the 11th hour on the morning of November 11, 1918. The ceremony will last about 90 minutes.

Master of Ceremonies Bill Hodges will introduce guests including Denise Langowski, the Alameda County representative from Operation: MOM whose son has served two tours of duty in Iraq. Langowski will speak on behalf of the mothers whose sons and daughters are serving in the military.

Members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and Elaine McKellar from Congresswoman Barbara Lee's office will attend, along with other officials. Assistant U.S. Veterans Affairs Director Will Streitberger will also speak. Mayors from Alameda County cities have been invited.

Vietnam veteran Arnold Dos Santos will honor Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIS) in a recitation of the "Missing Man Table Ceremony."

Veterans Memorial Park is located on Veterans Court, just across the bridge to Bay Farm Island in Alameda (the flagpole provides a landmark).

Water and ice will be provided at the event.