Veteran's Day Ceremony: Honoring Alexandria's Vets

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Residents will gather on Veterans Day to honor those that have served at the statue of one of Del Ray's most recognized veterans.

The City of Alexandria and the Friends of Rocky Versace will host the 16th annual ceremony Saturday, Nov. 11 from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. inside the the Mount Vernon Recreation Center (2701 Commonwealth Avenue).

The annual ceremony honors Capt. Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace, a posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, Ranger Hall of Fame inductee, Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment, Distinguished Member of The Old Guard Regiment and former Del Ray resident. Versace was taken as a Prisoner of War and was executed by the Viet-Cong, reportedly while loudly singing "God Bless America." He was posthumously given the Medal of Honor in 2002, the first time an Army POW received the nation's highest honor for actions in captivity.

Versace's statue stands outside the Mount Vernon Recreation Center. The statue and ceremony are also tributes to the 66 other Alexandrians who died during the Vietnam War, and all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces attending. The Friends of Rocky Versace raised money to dedicate the Capt. Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in 2002, a day before Versace was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Image via Visit Alexandria