Pasadena marks Memorial Day with Condor Squadron flyover, flag presentation and reading of local war dead

Pasadena held its third annual Memorial Day remembrance on May 25, 2026, with city officials and military representatives honoring local service members who died in U.S. conflicts. The program included a Condor Squadron flyover at 11:11 a.m., a proclamation read by Vice Mayor Jess Rivas on behalf of Mayor Victor M. Gordo, historical remarks by Lieutenant Colonel Uziel, and the presentation of military funeral honors to the Gerard family.

The proclamation was read aloud by Vice Mayor Jess Rivas, who presented the mayor’s declaration: “I, Victor M. Gordo, mayor of the city of Pasadena, on behalf of the city council, do hereby proclaim May 25th, 2026 as Memorial Day in Pasadena.” Rivas thanked gold star families in attendance and called on the community to remember the service and sacrifice of the city’s veterans.

Earlier in the program the emcee announced the Condor Squadron’s planned pass: “At 11:00 and 11 minutes this morning, the Condor Squadron will fly overhead,” and explained that the third pass would include a missing‑man formation as a tribute. Attendees stood for a reading of a short poem and the Pledge of Allegiance before the color guard presented and later retired the colors.

Lieutenant Colonel Uziel delivered extended historical remarks connecting local remembrances to national moments of service. He drew attention to a table set in honor of prisoners of war and those missing in action, explaining the symbols — an inverted glass, a red rose, salt and a yellow ribbon — and calling for a moment of silence. “The glass is inverted. They cannot toast with us today. The chair is empty,” the speaker said while describing the table’s symbolism.

The program included readings of local names for multiple wars. The transcript records the speaker citing casualty figures for some conflicts (the speaker cited “more than 400,000” for World War II, “58,200” for Vietnam and “6,747” for the wars since 2001); a figure cited for World War I in the transcript was not legible. The ceremony also noted a proposed Korean War memorial for Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre.

Military funeral honors were explained and performed: the flag drape, the 13‑fold ceremonial folding and the presentation of the folded flag to next of kin. The ceremony featured a tribute to Specialist 5 Charles Pierre Gerard, a Pasadena native who served with the 101st Airborne and who, according to the program remarks, entered active duty on March 16, 1968 and died March 9, 1969, in South Vietnam. The speaker listed decorations awarded to Specialist Gerard and the folded flag was presented to his sisters in a formal moment of tribute.

The ceremony concluded with the color guard retiring the colors and closing remarks from the emcee thanking organizers and attendees. The program emphasized remembrance and the speaker’s request that attendees honor the fallen through daily action and support for veterans and their families.

Next steps: the transcript notes a proposed Korean War memorial to be erected near the ceremony site; no formal city action or vote on that proposal was recorded in the event program.