San Rafael, CA – Greenbrae resident Tony Lazzarini, a U.S. Army combat veteran who was a door gunner on a helicopter crew for two tours during the Vietnam War, will be the featured speaker at the County of Marin’s Memorial Day ceremony May 28 at the Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael.
Tony Lazzarini plans to speak on the different varieties of honor at the Memorial Day service.
After his 1965-68 stint in the army, which included about 250 missions aboard a Huey UH-1D, Lazzarini became a business owner, playwright, author, and filmmaker. His book is called
Highest Traditions: Memories of War. He founded the 51-50 Foundation, a private social club for classic car enthusiasts based in Novato. The San Francisco native said he plans to speak about the different varieties of honor on Memorial Day.
The Memorial Day event, presented by the Marin County United Veterans Council and supported by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, honors all fallen American servicemen and servicewomen in the line of duty with a special emphasis on Marin’s own heroes. It includes a ceremony inside the Veterans Memorial Auditorium starting at 10 a.m. followed by an outdoor ceremony in front of the military monuments on Avenue of the Flags, just outside the auditorium.
The Civic Center ceremony will feature patriotic marches played by the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District Non-Marching Band and the singing voice of Elena Keating. Cadets from U.S. Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps based at Novato High School will participate as a color guard, drill team and flag raisers, and elected officials and representatives from local veterans groups will be recognized.
The program then moves outdoors to the memorials on the Avenue of the Flags. After wreaths are laid at the foot of statues, “Taps” is played to conclude the ceremony. Doughnuts and coffee will be served in the Redwood Room of Marin Center after the outdoor ceremony.
Learn more about Marin County’s Veterans Services program online. The program is overseen by the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services.