PALMDALE, Calif. — With 1,000 flags blowing in the wind, several hundred people gathered at Pelona Vista Park on Memorial Day to honor fallen service members during the City of Palmdale’s closing ceremony for the Field of Honor.
Mayor Richard Loa served as master of ceremonies for the solemn event. Dignitaries in attendance included Mayor Pro Tem Laura Bettencourt, Councilmember Eric Ohlsen, Assemblymember Juan Carrillo, and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, who spoke on the importance of remembering those who gave their lives in service to the nation.
The ceremony featured a presentation of the colors by the Antelope Young Marines and a performance of the national anthem by the Lancaster Baptist Church Choir. During the anthem, the four-plane Salute Flight Formation Flying Team soared overhead in a Missing Man Formation, honoring fallen military personnel.
As the planes flew over, Loa remarked, “Those pilots flying have the honor of representing the legacy of every service member who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Cadets from the William J. “Pete” Knight High School Air Force Junior ROTC conducted the POW/MIA Table of Honor Ceremony, paying tribute to prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Ohlsen presented the 2025 Tom Hilzendeger Veteran of the Year award to Jeff Collins, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served from 1982 to 1986 as a communications and navigation technician for C-130 aircraft. Collins now serves as commander of American Legion Post 348 and leads monthly tours at the Antelope Valley Rural Museum for veterans and their families.
The ceremony concluded with a 21-gun rifle salute performed by representatives from VFW Post 3552 and the playing of Taps by a member of the 412th Force Support Squadron from Edwards Air Force Base.
The Field of Honor featured a sea of American flags, each dedicated to a military service member, first responder, or public safety professional. Proceeds from flag sales will benefit local veterans’ organizations, including American Legion Post 348, Antelope Valley Veterans Community Action Coalition, Coffee 4 Vets, Point Man AV, VFW Post 3000, VFW Post 3552, Vets4Veterans, and the AV Boots on the Ground Alliance.
