The Long Beach community honored the nation’s fallen veterans in a new commemoration Downtown on Sunday that featured historic airplane flyovers, a flag ceremony and Navy drill demonstrations.
“Honoring Our Heroes – A Sunset Ceremony,” was presented by the city’s new Office of Veterans Support at Shoreline Aquatic Park on the eve of Memorial Day.
The new event was held in tandem with Los Angeles Fleet Week, an annual multi-day celebration that honors U.S. armed forces at the Port of Los Angeles.
Here are some of our best photos of the ceremony.
The Navy Band Southwest Harborside Brass Quintet play patriotic music during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day commemoration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
A 1944 North American SNJ-5, left, flown by John Collver and a North American AT-6G, right, flown by Brad Land, fly over Shoreline Aquatic Park during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day commemoration in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Historic airplanes flown by Brad Land, left, and John Collver, right, fly over Shoreline Aquatic Park during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day commemoration in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Jason Gonzalez of Lakewood High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps performs a Navy drill demonstration during the Memorial Day ceremony at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Christopher O’Brien of the Navy Band Southwest Harborside Brass Quintet plays the trumpet in front of Navysphere, a public artwork at Shoreline Aquatic Park Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Rosie Wang, 7, and her mother Marcy Li pose for a photo after getting their faces painted during the Memorial Day ceremony at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Staff Sergeants Ernest Long, Andres Flores, and Komsan Wattanaapisit prepare to march during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Sergeant Major Charles Cook Jr., and Rep. Robert Garcia speak to a veteran during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Staff Sergeants Komsan Wattanaapisit, Andres Flores and Ernest Long march out during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Staff Sergeants Komsan Wattanaapisit, Andres Flores and Ernest Long during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Major Branda Threatt salutes the flag during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Staff Sergeant Andres Flores performs a flag ceremony during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Veterans including retired US Marine Corps Sergeant Major Charles Cook Jr. stand to received an applause from the audience for their service during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
City Councilmember Cindy Allen speaks during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day celebration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Assemblymember Mike Gipson speaks to veterans in the audience during the “Honoring Our Heroes — A Sunset Ceremony” Memorial Day commemoration at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Artist Terry Braunstein, who created Navysphere, the large public artwork at Shoreline Aquatic Park speaks about the Naval presence in the city of Long Beach during the Memorial Day ceremony Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Attendees bow their heads to honor fallen service members during the “Honoring Our Heroes” Memorial Day ceremony at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Sergeant Major Charles Cook Jr. speaks about his first assignment in Long Beach in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Memorial Day ceremony at Shoreline Aquatic Park Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
A member of the Navy Band Southwest Harborside Brass Quintet honors fallen service members by playing Taps during the Memorial Day ceremony at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Signal Hill resident Helen Rigewell takes a closer look at the public artwork, Navysphere, the centerpiece of the Navy Memorial at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
From left, Councilmember Megan Kerr, Rep. Robert Garcia, Councilmember Cindy Allen and Assemblymember Mike Gipson pose for a photo during the Memorial Day ceremony at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach Sunday, May 28, 2023. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.