SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- A cemetery roadway at an extension of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at Miramar has been transformed into a beautiful avenue of flags.

A dedication ceremony for the flags was held Saturday morning. The project came together thanks to $103,300 donated by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and private donations. Dozens of volunteers put in about 1,000 hours of work over two weeks to install the flags.

Until the branch of the Fort Rosecrans Cemetery opened last year at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, veterans who wanted to be buried in a military cemetery in Southern California had to be buried at March Air Force Base in Riverside County. Now, they can rest in peace at Miramar next to an avenue of flags.

On Saturday, Marines simultaneously raised 50 American flags on silver 30-foot flag poles as the 3rd Marine Air Wing Band played "You’re A Grand Old Flag."

Veterans who attended the ceremony could not be happier.

"It'll be something for the citizens and the veterans of the park here to be able to see what the nation feels about their honored dead," said veteran Gary Parks.

Silver Star recipient Ray Calhoun said having a military cemetery in San Diego is appreciated by local veterans.

"I live in Scripps Ranch and this is a very close venue for a lot of veterans here," Calhoun said.

Veteran Jack Roland, a former prisoner of war, told 10News the dedication was all about remembering.

"It brings a lot of life back to the memory of what we went through as POWs," he said.

Vietnam veteran Craig Brown said he recalled memories of colleagues who paid the ultimate price.

"All these gentlemen, all these young men and women that are here [and] people in past wars all gave up their lives to keep this right to have ceremonies like this," he said.

The cemetery is located off Interstate 805 and is open to the public. The flags will stay raised 24-7.