Hundreds of people gathered in Coronado on Monday to pay tribute to fallen soldiers and sailors on Memorial Day.
“When folks come up to me and thank me for my service, if my wife is with me, I make sure she gets thanked as well because she served, and so did my children,” retired Navy Captain Greg Keithley said.
The phrase, "Freedom is not free," was written on a plaque and in the community's hearts. Because it's not just the military that loses a soldier, it's a family that loses a loved one.
“My dad was killed in Vietnam in the USS Oriskany fire. He was a commander and naval aviator as well,” Rodger Welch said.
Welch said when his brother was 6-years-old and he was 10, his mom raised them by herself.
Across the water, Those at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery saluted those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“Just honoring those who came before us, really," 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band Instrumentalist Sgt. Andrew Vaughan said. "People come out here, and they still see the uniform, and you know they almost miss it. You see the smile in their eyes; it’s just a big support system."
Others gathered at Miramar National Cemetery, where they placed American flags at headstones.
Veterans said people should not celebrate Memorial Day, but rather honor it.
“Folks often turn it into a holiday and a three-day weekend, and that's ok. But what we ask is that you take a moment to recognize and memorialize those who serve,” Keithley said.
