Memorial Day weekend begins with flags

Anthony Ferry, 68, of Mission Viejo, visits the grave of his father Clarence, an Army veteran, and his mother Vincenza, on Memorial Day.

Joshua Kidder, 30, holds his daughter Ellie, 4, while his wife Mary, holds Avery, 1 as they greet those entering the grounds of Riverside National Cemetery.

Yvonne Sanchez, 56, sits nearby as her husband Benajmin Sanchez Jr., 47, weaps with his head on the grave of his father Benjamin Sanchez. Sanchez served during the Korean War as a PFC in the Army and died in 1976.

Valerie Coronel, 25, and her daughter Kendyll Wiener, 7, of Riverside, walk through the Riverside National Cemetery on Memorial Day.

Wayne Bixler, 88, of Hemet, Ca., hunts for the grave of his wife Patricia, who died in 2014. Bixler served during the Korean War with the U.S. Navy.

Melissa Meiner, 33, holds her son Jake Rodriguez, 2, while visiting her grandmother’s grave at Riverside National Cemetery.

Thousands of people descended on Riverside National Cemetery for Memorial Day. A ceremony with several speakers, a band and a rifle salute was attended by several hundred people.

Enduring Heroes dedicate an 8-foot bronze sculpture of a combat soldier with an American flag in Defenders Park in Pasadena, CA.

Gold Star families Irene Ramirez, left, of Pasadena and Deborah Whitley of Altadena, hug during the ceremony for the Enduring Heroes dedication of an 8-foot bronze sculpture of a combat soldier with an American flag.

Rogelio Lopez, 9, holds a gold star during the ceremony Memorial Day in Pasadena. Rogelio lost his father Marine Lance Cpl, Rogelio Ramirez, 21 in Iraq.

Congressman Adam Schiff, left, and keynote speaker Army Special Forces LTC David P. Diamond, right, participate in ceremony for the Enduring Heroes dedication.

Gold Star family Melissa holds her daughter, Olivia Stifter, 3, during the ceremony for the Enduring Heroes dedication.

Marine Color Guard Sgt. Charles Bagley takes part in the Enduring Heroes dedication.

An 8-foot bronze sculpture of a combat soldier with an American flag was dedicated in Defenders Park in Pasadena.

Tatiana Pineda, 27, of Irvine holds her children Mason Pineda, 4, left and Aiden Pineda, 6, right, as they sit next to a memorial in Northwood Community Park in Irvine, CA. Her husband lost friends who were serving in Afghanistan. Their names are etched on the wall.

Plastic flowers are placed next to the memorial in Northwood Community Park. Each flower had the name of a fallen solder connected to it.

Vietnam veteran Bill Sandlin, 77, of Irvine, stand next to the newly dedicated memorial in Northwood Community Park.

Boy Scouts watch Marine color guards during a ceremony honoring the Fallen Heroes at Northwood Community Park in Irvine, CA.

Bob Tate, 83, of Irvine stand during the ceremony in Northwood Community Park in Irvine, CA. He served in the Air Force for 37 years.

Tatiana Pineda, 27, and her husband Jose Pineda, 28, of Irvine stand together at a memorial in Northwood Community Park in Irvine. He said they came today to honor the brothers and sisters of the 1st Brigade. Their names are etched on the wall.

Olivia Akhidenor, 9, posts flags on Memorial Day at Los Angeles National Cemetery. More than 5,000 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts placed flags by more than 88,000 graves.

Alex Tsai, 11, salutes after posting a small flag on a grave site of a veteran. Over 5,000 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts placed flags by more than 88,000 graves.

A Dodgers fan waves a lone American fag during Memorial Day weekend game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun stands for the national anthem before a game against the Miami Marlins. The players wore camouflage colors to commemorate Memorial Day.

A tourist looks at flowers placed at the front of the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall at the start of the Memorial Day weekend in Washington, D.C.

Tourists take photos at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Motorcyclists salute at a wreath-laying ceremony at the Navy Memorial plaza in Washington, D.C.

Members of the U.S. Marine Corps watch as a man does pull-ups in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park as part of New York City’s Fleet Week, which includes a Memorial Day ceremony.

Belgian honor guards march during a Memorial day ceremony at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Plombieres, Belgium. The 57-acre cemetery includes 7,992 U.S. military dead, most of whom died during the advance of the U.S. armed forces into Germany.