Tag: liberty

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Boston Tea Party!

San Diego celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party today. The special event was held in the South Bay, at Chula Vista Bayfront Park.

The event’s main attraction was a reenactment of the historic Boston Tea Party, which was staged across the Chula Vista Marina aboard tall ship Bill of Rights. (I’ll share photos of the reenactment in my next blog post!)

Today’s colorful event attracted a good crowd. Period attire could be seen everywhere, and Bayfront Park’s grass was dotted with displays created by organizations that work to educate the public about our nation’s founding and history.

Many local members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution were present. Youth performed one act plays concerning the Boston Tea Party on two event stages. Quilts and history books and artifacts from around the time of the American Revolution could be enjoyed by those walking about.

On December 16, 1773, a shipment of tea was destroyed in Boston Harbor by colonists opposed to the Tea Act and taxation by the British without representation. This San Diego event is the first of more to come in the next few years, concerning the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding in 1776.

Enjoy some photographs taken on a sunny San Diego day!

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A patriotic Massing of the Colors in San Diego.

The 67th Annual Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance was held today in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

The patriotic ceremony featured a procession of color guards through the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. In addition to military color guards, participants represented dozens of schools, organizations and agencies from throughout San Diego County.

The event was presented by the San Diego Chapter of Military Order of the World Wars, whose mission includes instilling love of country by honoring our nation’s flag and the liberty it promises. For a writer like myself, freedom is precious.

As I sat in the front row waiting for the event to begin, a gust of wind on the stage blew over our nation’s flag. Several people immediately rushed forward to raise Old Glory again.

The Massing of the Colors this year was co-sponsored by the Spreckels Organ Society. Patriotic music, including an Armed Forces Medley, was provided by San Diego Civic Organist extraordinaire Raúl Prieto Ramírez!

A special mention in the ceremony and program acknowledged Vietnam Veterans and their sacrifices. Fifty years ago, that terrible war ended.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Independence Day celebration in Balboa Park!

Independence Day was celebrated in San Diego today, a couple days before the Fourth of July! The House of USA of Balboa Park’s International Cottages hosted a special Sunday afternoon lawn program that featured speeches, dancing, food and fun!

After peering into the House of USA cottage for a moment, I checked out a patriotic display by the Sons of the American Revolution San Diego Chapter, then joined the gathered audience holding my camera at the ready.

The most powerful part of the program were speeches by various House of Pacific Relations International Cottages members. They explained how people from many nations–not just France and Spain–helped the United States in its historic battle for independence.

Incidentally, tomorrow, July 3, a special organ concert will be held at Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion. At 7:30 pm, renowned organist Robert York will be performing American classics, including music by George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin! It’s part of the 35th Annual San Diego International Organ Festival. Bring the whole family! It’s free!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

15th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony in National City.

This afternoon the 15th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony was held in Lincoln Acres, a small community encompassed by National City.

People from all over, feeling gratitude for United States military members and those who made the ultimate sacrifice, gathered at La Vista Memorial Park. There we listened to the emotionally stirring words of keynote speakers, including several historians. The Memorial Day Ceremony honored 30 Civil War Veterans buried in the hilltop cemetery.

Before the ceremony began, people wandered about the grass, looking down at markers and small American flags. People mingling near the event stage talked, and when the bagpipes started, they slowly took their seats. I heard birds singing.

I sat in a spot with a limited view of the proceedings. I was unable to photograph the Rifle Salute and Taps performed in the distance by the 82nd Airborne Division San Diego Chapter.

The scheduled WWII era aircraft flyover was cancelled due to the thick overcast.

Here are some of the highlights:

Members of the 82nd Airborne Division San Diego Chapter assemble among flags by the La Vista Memorial Park pond.

Charles Rosenberg plays bagpipes before the ceremony begins.

The California Army National Guard advances the colors.

Sophia Hoffman, a recent contestant on hit television show The Voice, sang the National Anthem beautifully.

All stood for the Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

John Finch, retired US Navy Chief, read John A. Logan’s General Order No. 11, which called for a national day of remembrance for Civil War dead. It became the holiday Memorial Day.

Kathleen Winchester, President of the Sons and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, pays tribute to Civil War Veteran Milford Phillips, who died in San Diego and is buried nearby.

Mark Carlson, author and military historian, reads the Gettysburg Address. …we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. He encouraged us to thank all Veterans and current service members.

National City Mayor Ron Morrison recalls how Ely S. Parker, a Native American, who encountered mid-19th century bigotry, eventually rose to become adjutant and secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant.

National City and San Diego County dignitaries prepare to deliver a special recognition.

Tom McBride, 101 years old, is honored. He flew Corsairs with VMF-1 off the USS Bennington during World War II.

Dan Sutton, history teacher at West Hills High School, also gave a speech. (That’s him in my very first photograph.) He explained that many people from San Diego traveled east to fight in the Civil War. He also presented this display, which includes the 70 pounds of equipment, food and clothing a Union soldier would carry.

After the speeches a free lunch was provided to everyone. Good old American hot dogs. Many families were at the ceremony.

Flags mark the final resting places of those who fought for their country.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Memorial Day Commemoration in Balboa Park.

Sometimes I find myself taking the broad freedoms we enjoy in this country for granted. Then I hear harrowing stories told by those who lived under brutal dictators and authoritarians.

This afternoon a moving Memorial Day Commemoration was held in San Diego. It took place at the International Cottages in Balboa Park.

There was patriotic music performed by the San Diego City Guard Band. There were tributes to those who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our country. There was the reading of the famous In Flanders Fields poem, and the handing out of symbolic poppies.

There were guest speakers with powerful, painful memories of past wars fought. And there were many who were thankful to have come to our country, escaping from places where people have been denied freedom and human dignity.

I arrived at the Memorial Day Commemoration when it was about halfway through. I stayed a long while, listening.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Coronado exhibit: Vietnam POWs fifty years later.

Tomorrow, March 29th, 2023, marks an important anniversary. Fifty years ago United States troops completed their departure from Vietnam, and the last group of prisoners of war were freed.

A powerful exhibit at the Coronado Historical Association museum remembers the POWs who returned to freedom, and tells their moving stories. It’s titled Open Doors: Vietnam POWs Fifty Years of Freedom.

I wandered about the museum today and tried to imagine the horror. Displays recalled how prisoners of war in Vietnam suffered. It had been a struggle to merely survive.

I then gazed at portraits of freed POWs and read the accompanying profiles. I saw how differently each man adjusted to life after their experience.

Many successfully returned to a more “normal” life. Many, having risen out of hell, experienced a strengthened sense of purpose.

As the exhibition description states: Open Doors is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of human will, it is also a celebration of that second chance at freedom.

This same exhibit originally debuted in Coronado 20 years ago. Today, after traveling around the nation, it has returned.

Visitors are reminded that we all have the capacity for extraordinary strength.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Defending Freedom in a San Diego rain.

In San Diego this afternoon, blue and yellow umbrellas sheltered a tight-knit gathering from the rain. Supporters of Ukraine met near the El Cid statue in Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama, waving flags, giving heartfelt speeches, asking for help.

It’s now a year since Putin’s Russia invaded Ukraine, and in San Diego many are appalled that dictatorship and murderous barbarism can rise again in the 21st century.

Powerful images and messages that concern one year of Defending Freedom surrounded the group.

As I stood in the crowd listening, a young person voiced her optimism that Freedom, in the end, would prevail.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

More gratitude the day after Veterans Day.

Yesterday was Veterans Day. Today, Saturday, the House of USA in Balboa Park held a special program remembering and thanking Veterans.

I lingered on the lawn of the International Cottages for a while and listened to the music of the San Diego City Guard Band. I also listened to short speeches concerning sacrifices made by Veterans.

A local chapter of the DAR had a display out on the grass, which I also looked at. California is home to many Medal of Honor recipients.

Sadly, Balboa Park’s lawn programs are often not well attended. The few who sat down to listen today heard important stories about fellow citizens who fought to protect our Freedom.

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Massing of the Colors in Old Town honors service.

This morning a unique ceremony was held in San Diego. The 66th Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance honored the flag of our country and those who’ve served to protect it–and the Freedom it represents.

The annual Massing of the Colors is presented by the San Diego Chapter of The Military Order of the World Wars. The organization is made up of officers from the uniformed services, their spouses and descendants.

This year about 25 color guards from all around the city came together for the ceremony at the U.S. Army of the West Mormon Battalion Historic Site, which is located in Old Town. The MCRD Marine Band provided patriotic music.

I watched as the many color guards arrived, streaming in from nearby parking lots and down sidewalks. There were youth belonging to the ROTC and Junior ROTC programs. There were proud Veterans who’d fought for their country. There were descendants of those who’d served.

Before the ceremony began, the color guards paraded single file through the grassy area where the audience would watch, forming a line of flags to one side. Then several color guards brought more flags forward before an Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and singing of the National Anthem. Coming to the podium, Anaeya Baez, from Girl Scout Troop 6116, read My Name is Old Glory.

A guest speaker, the Honorable M. Janet Chin, reminded everyone of the sacrifices many have made. She expressed hope that present and future generations will remember that history, and will continue the tradition of service.

The motto of the Military Order of the World Wars is: It is nobler to serve than to be served.

The ceremony ended with Taps, a Benediction, and the Retiring of the Colors.

As you can see in the following photographs, I arrived and took my seat very early…

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Thank you for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often, so you might want to bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and check back from time to time.

You can explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on this website’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There’s a lot of stuff to share and enjoy!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

An early Fourth of July in Balboa Park!

Should one celebrate Independence Day on the Third of July?

Why not!

Today’s Sunday lawn program at the International Cottages in Balboa Park was presented by the House of USA. It was a patriotic event for the Fourth of July–one day early!

Before the program began at 2 o’clock, I walked around and visited friendly members of two groups: Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution. One DAR member, I learned, is a descendant of Elihu Hickok, a soldier who served in the United States Revolutionary War.

The lawn program commenced with the presentation of colors and a beautiful, soaring rendition of the National Anthem sung by Ms. Helen Oh. She was followed by young pianist, Colton, who skillfully played America the Beautiful.

The Queen and Princess of the House of USA gave short speeches, then, after the main speaker, everyone enjoyed a performance of Western line dancing by the San Diego Coasters!

Then everyone was invited onto the stage to learn how to line dance!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!