Memorial Day services across Tampa Bay area

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – This Memorial Day weekend, multiple events and services are being held across the Tampa Bay area to honor the fallen. Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May.

Men and women who have died while serving in the United States military are honored. Pilot who passed out leaving passenger to land plane, speaks for first time News Channel 8 has compiled a list of services and memorials in the area for those wishing to pay their respects to fallen military members. Do you know of a Memorial Day service happening in the Tampa Bay area that isn’t on our list? Let us know by emailing online@wfla.

com. American Legion U. S.

S. Tampa Location: 3810 W. Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa Date: Sunday, beginning at 8 p.

m. Monday at 11 a. m.

The American Legion Cemetery Corporation and the U. S. S.

Tampa Post 5 have observed Memorial Day in Tampa’s only veterans cemetery for the past 100 years. There will be a luminary observance on Sunday. Friends and family are welcome any time after 8 p.

m. There will be no official service or ceremony, but luminaries will be left out for visitations throughout the night. The American Legion U.

S. S. Tampa Post 5’s official observance will begin Monday at 11 a.

m. Those attending are encouraged to bring a flag and show support by waving it along Kennedy Boulevard. Wreath registration is available for those wishing to place a remembrance wreath during the Post Everlasting portion of the ceremony.

Those wishing to place a wreath must register at the registration table at the service from 10 to 10:45 a. m. on Monday.

All branches of the military will be represented. The ceremony will include guest speakers and a vocal tribute. Flags will be raised to full staff at noon.

Anyone is welcome to attend the event to honor the country’s fallen service members. Memorial Day Flag Placement at Bay Pines National Cemetery Location: 10000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines Date: Sunday at 9 a. m.

The U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Bay Pines National Cemetery invites volunteers to place approximately 25,000 small flags on individual gravesites at the cemetery on Sunday.

Watch for possible Memorial Day meteor ‘storm’ The flags will be provided by Flags for Fallen Vets. Visitors may place flags on gravesites at any time but for this event, volunteers must register with Flags for Fallen Vets to obtain flags. Parking will be available in the Bay Pines VA hospital parking area, behind the Bay Pines National Cemetery.

The roundabout area near the main entrance will be the staging point for the placement of flags. Volunteer registration is available online. Bay Pines Memorial Day Ceremony Location: 10000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines Date: Monday at 10 a.

m. The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System will host its first in-person Memorial Day Ceremony since 2019 on Monday at 10 a. m.

at the Bay Pines National Cemetery. Guest speakers for the event include local leaders from the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, the St. Petersburg VA Regional Office and the Bay Pines National Cemetery, as well as U.

S. Representative Charlie Crist, 13th Congressional District of Florida. U.

S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen.

(retired) Randall West will give the keynote speech at the ceremony. Those who wish to attend the ceremony must participate in a COVID-19 risk screening prior to accessing the campus. To access the VA’s screening tool, text the word “screen” to 53079.

Parking for the event will be available nearby and shuttles will be available to take guests from the parking lots to the national cemetery. Hillsborough County Memorial Day Remembrance Location: 3602 U. S.

Hwy. 301 N. , Tampa Date: Sunday at 10 a.

m. Hillsborough County will host its 25th annual Memorial Day Remembrance Event on Sunday. The Consumer and Veterans Services and the Veterans Council of Hillsborough County invite the community to the ceremony, which begins at 10 a.

m. at Veterans Memorial Park. The Garden of Gold flag installation will be erected in tribute to fallen military members from Florida.

The moving collection depicts the faces of more 30 members who made the ultimate sacrifice. ‘Warrior’ teacher Eva Mireles killed in Texas school shooting Col. Benjamin Jonsson, commander of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, will serve as keynote speaker.

Tampa Memorial Day Service Location: 100 N Ashley Dr, Tampa Date: Monday at 11 a. m. The Commitment, Respect, Integrity, Service, Pride organization will be hosting a Memorial Day ceremony at MacDill Park in downtown Tampa on Monday at 11 a.

m. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Vice Admiral James Malloy, from U. S.

Central Command, will speak during the remembrance. The ceremony is open to the public. Florida National Cemetery Memorial Service Location: 6502 SW 102nd Ave, Bushnell Date: Monday at 11 a.

m. The Department of Veterans Affairs Florida National Cemetery will host a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday. The ceremony will feature a wreath laying, speeches and comments, patriotic music, a rifle salute and the playing of taps.

This is the cemetery’s first ceremony since 2019 and the local community is encouraged to attend. Those attending are asked to adhere to CDC guidelines including wearing a mask and keeping distance from other attendees. .