About 1,800 people gathered at Castro Valley Community Park at 11 o'clock Sunday to consecrate the Castro Valley Veterans Memorial.
The memorial itself was set in place last weekend. Sunday's ceremony was its official dedication.
Attendees included Pearl Harbor survivor Mickey Ganitch who turns 93 on Tuesday.
On Sunday he wore his campaign medals over his Hawaiian shirt and danced to the Castro Valley Community Band's performance of a medely of Armed Forces songs, according to a report in the Contra Costa Times.
The memorial was the brainchild of Michael Emerson, who worked with volunteers to raise $200,000 in private donations. That included $60,000 from the family of Travis Amsbaugh, a Castro Valley native who served two tours in Afghanistan as a Marine but died last year in a car crash in Orange County, the Times reported.
Robert Souza posted a video of the dedication on his Facebook page.
Please share pictures or remembrances of the memorial dedication, or of your veteran's experience.
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