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From the Archives: How San Diego honored veterans on Memorial Day in 1921

San Diego Union-Tribune - 6/7/2021

One hundred years ago San Diego and the nation was still reeling from the death toll caused by the First World War as well as the influenza pandemic among those in military service, when the city came together for an impressive Memorial Day parade and services marked by prayer and poetry to honor the nation's dead and dying. The holiday was first observed to honor veterans who had fought in the American Civil War.

From the Evening Tribune, Monday, May 30, 1921:

SAN DIEGO HONORS VETERANS

BIG PARADE IS FIRST FEATURE OF DAY

San Diego observed Memorial day today impressively, and the most auspiciously in its history, mindful of the honors due the hero dead increased by legions in the country's service since the day was founded in memory of the fallen of the Grand Army and including lastly the heroes of the world war.

Parade Opens Day

The long parade which marked the beginning of the observance of the day moved at 10 a.m. and found thousands of civilians assembled along the line of march from the foot of Broadway to Balboa park, where the exercises were held in the organ pavilion was thronged for the memorial program there. The American flag was everywhere seen, and in the parade was carried by the American Legion the largest flag on the Pacific coast it is believed, the legion having had one made that measures 26x52 feet. It was carried by 60 ex-service men of the legion.

Army, navy and marine forces headed the imposing parade, following the police detachment, with the marines taking position ahead of the army, which waived rightful place because the marines had a band, while the army forces did not and music was desired at the head of the column. the courtesy was accorded by Maj. Fitzgerald of the army. Following the navy representation there came the G.A.R. survivors, escorted by Sons of Veterans; United Spanish War Veterans, the American Legion, the R.O.T.C., Women's Relief corps of the Heintzelman and Datus E. Coon posts, the U.S. Grand and J.M. Howard circles of the Ladies of the G.A.R., Daughters of Veterans, ladies' auxiliaries of the Sons of Veterans, Spanish War Veterans and American Legion and the Boy Scouts.

The parade disbanding at the Plaza de Panama and the G.A.R. alighting from automobiles, by which they were transported in the parade, the veterans passed to reserved seats at the organ pavilion down a splendid flag line formed by te women's organizations.

Program at Organ

At the pavilion the services were opened with prayer and organ selection by Marshall W. Giselman, followed by the audience singing "America," under the leadership of L.D. Jones, and decoration of the cenotaph.

C.L. Hubbs, representing the G.A.R. in decoration of the cenotaph, spoke as follows:

"On may battlefields of the south are graves or trenches containing the bodies of our unknown dead—in one single tomb in the national cemetery at Arlington, Va., lie 2111 unidentified bodies of our boys who wore the blue—therefore in the name of the Grand Army of the Republic, and in behalf of my comrades, here assembled, I place this wreath—Nature's gift—emblematic of the sprit's continuity—upon this cenotopah dedicated to the memories of our unidentified dead, who yielded their lives that this republic—undivided—might not perish.

"Their identity was forever lost in the mad delirium of battle, and their names are not engraved on plaeques of bronze or tablets of marble, yet their achievements should ever stand forth as a beacon light, blazing a pathway to be followed by the youth of our country to a higher standard of citizenship, and a nobler conception of patriotism and for the emulation by every citizen within whose breast there throbs the pulsations of liberty and freedom. their deeds of valor—their devotion to duty—their supreme sacrifice in a noble cause will ever be revered and honored by a grateful people, for—

" 'They sleep—sweetly sleep—in the earth's kindly bosom.

Where wild grow the trees, and the flowers bloom once more;

The roar of canon can no more disturb them,

For they rest from their labor, life's conflict is o'er.

From the din of life's battle they all have gone to rest

And they sleep—sweetly sleep—in the love of the nation.' "

Col. F.N. Jones, representing the American Legion, also spoke at the decoration, saying:

"We are today expressing the heartfelt sympathy of the American Legion and our nation to the grief-stricken families our honored dead sacrificed that civilization might endure.

"This cenotaph is symbolical of the last resting place of those who gave their lives for our country—for you and for me. In reverence, we place these flowers tenderly on this tomb as homage to their hallowed memory.

"The toll taken of human lives by the great world war is not yet complete. Day by day our comrades are still dying from the effects of wounds, poison gas and disease contracted in the service of our country. to afford these stricken comrades such relief as we are able is our solemn obligation.

"Our obligation to the dead may be summed up by the following quotations:

"'We are the dead; short days ago we lived...

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.'..."

This story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune.

©2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.