Veterans Day In Redondo Beach: How To Honor Military Personnel

REDONDO BEACH, CA — The post office and most banks will be closed in Redondo Beach on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Redondo Beach locals will observe Veterans Day 2021 at the Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park by the Redondo Pier. The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday and the event is open to the public.

The event will include reflection and remembrances, commentary and honors to all those who wore the uniform of their country, past and present. Residents will thank veterans for their service and sacrifice. Mayor Bill Brand, other local elected officials and military dignitaries will also participate. Music will be provided by the 40th Infantry Division Band, California National Guard from Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos under the baton of Chief Warrant Officer Chris Fossmo.

The Redondo Union High School Marine Corps JROTC, the Coastal Naval Sea Cadets and the Scouts will support the service.

Donations and contributions will be accepted for the Redondo Beach Veterans Memorial. Sponsorships are also available, along with the purchase of Memorial Bricks.

The ceremony will be followed by a BBQ hosted by the Redondo Elks Lodge #1378 in the Elks parking lots south of their building adjacent to Veterans Park. The BBQ is free to all veterans and members of the military, police officers and firefighters. A $5 dollar donation is requested from all others.

Veterans Day, commemorated annually on Nov. 11, was first celebrated in 1919 to honor those who fought in World War I. It was initially called Armistice Day and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The holiday’s origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly following the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

While some ceremonies, parades and services may be canceled or altered as the coronavirus pandemic continues, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active-military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States.