San Diegans gathered on Memorial Day on May 27 at the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial in La Jolla to honor military service for their sacrifices.
The annual observance this year honored the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment based at Camp Pendleton. The battalion (called “Darkhorse”) suffered heavy losses in Afghanistan — 25 deaths and nearly 200 wounded in a seven-month deployment.
Its sacrifice was featured in a nationally broadcast series on NPR about its mission, losses and recovery. It had the worst casualty rate of any Marine unit in the Afghan war.
Marine Maj. Gen. Jason Morris, the keynote speaker at the ceremony, was a lieutenant colonel in the regiment during the Battle of Sangin, considered one of the bloodiest of the war. Morris read the names of the battalion’s 25 Marines who died. He referred to them as his heroes.
The event was attended by about 1,200 people, including family of those killed. There was a flyover of vintage military planes, the playing of taps and a 21-gun salute.
More than 115,000 active-duty service are stationed in San Diego County, according to the San Diego Military Advisory Council. One of every six Navy sailors is stationed here, as is one of every four active-duty Marines. The region also is home to 230,507 veterans.
