Vietnam-era helicopters to do flyover above Cal-State East Bay Concord to kick-off event
On December 7th, Mount Diablo’s Beacon will be relit by survivors of Pearl Harbor. We invite you to attend the ceremony to pay tribute to the lives that were lost and honor our surviving veterans of Pearl Harbor.
The Sons & Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, Chapter 5 are pleased to co-sponsor this 53rd Annual National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony with Save Mount Diablo.
“The Beacon lighting is a tribute to those individuals that lost their lives at Pearl Harbor”, says Earl “Chuck” Kohler, one of the few remaining survivors in Contra Costa County.
However, the ceremony is also an opportunity to honor the survivors. When those who experienced Pearl Harbor are gone, the history is lost with them.
The Beacon on Mount Diablo was originally installed and illuminated in 1928 to aid in trans-continental aviation. It is one of the four guiding beacons installed along the west coast by Standard Oil of CA and is the only one known to still be operational.
Pearl Harbor survivors push the button to light the beacon atop Mt. Diablo last year. Courtesy of Save Mt. Diablo.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Beacon’s light was extinguished during the West Coast Blackout, for fear it may enable an attack on California. It stayed dark until Pearl Harbor Day 1964, when Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces during World War II, relit the Beacon in a commemorative ceremony and suggested it be illuminated every December 7th to honor those who served and sacrificed.
Since that day, Pearl Harbor Veterans and their families have gathered every December 7th to see the Beacon light shine once again.
The Beacon now shines brighter than ever since it underwent an extensive restoration process in 2013 (thanks to a campaign led by Save Mount Diablo) to ensure it continues to shine for many more years. The Pearl Harbor Survivors would like to know that the Beacon will shine long after they are gone.
The Beacon is lit at sunset and shines all night on this single evening each year.
SUMMARY
What: Save Mount Diablo, the Sons & Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and California State Parks will light the “Eye of Diablo”, the Beacon atop Mount Diablo to memorialize Pearl Harbor Day. As the number of Survivors has decreased over the years, the number of people attending the ceremony in honor of these heroes has increased, including many sons and daughters vital to organizing the service.
When: Wednesday, December 7th, 2016, Ceremony at 3:45 pm, Beacon Lighting at 5 pm
Where: The ceremony will be held in the Oak Room of the Library Building at the California State East Bay Concord Campus, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord, CA 94521.
Directions: http://goo.gl/maps/jXhcW
Access: Parking is available on Campus and the ceremony will be held in the Oak Room (with extra seating in the Redwood Room)
SPECIAL NOTICE: Vietnam Helicopters will be kicking off the lighting with a fly-by over CSU EB Concord and Mount Diablo. Any Aviation News Units should contact Mark Maupin for flight path and time: (925) 876-1572 Maupin@vietnamhelicopters.org,
For more information about the Beacon Lighting Ceremony: please visit http://www.savemountdiablo.org/activities_events_beacon.html
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