Though their sacrifices occurred on foreign lands far away from home and their families, South Whidbey residents held those lost close to their hearts Monday morning.

Sunny skies hung over the heads of almost 200 people who turned out to pay respects to America’s fallen service men and women during a Memorial Day Ceremony at Bayview Cemetery. The event was organized by the Maj. Megan McClung Marine Corps League Detachment 1210 and began at 11 a.m. Attendees included a host of veterans, elected officials, non-profit group leaders and families from across the South End.

Chuck Bond, vice commandant of Detachment 1210 and retired Navy, led the ceremony with opening remarks and a pledge of allegiance, followed by a prayer by American Legion Post 141 Chaplain Darrel Wenzek. Following Bond and Wenzek was Herb Weissblum, a Korean War and Army veteran, who read his poem “Our Heroes Remembered On This Memorial Day.”

“Heroes taken from us while defending our American way,” Weissblum read. “The memories of their courageous lives never to fade away.”

Shortly after, he recognized the background and achievements of Detachment 1210 members Bond, Tom Keltner, Ed Donery, Bob Gabelein and Dennis Phillips.

Though the day was dedicated to those who have died while serving in the United States armed forces, Todd and Diane Mannie of Freeland were happy Weissblum shared information about Detachment 1210’s members. They felt it was important to recognize those who served and are currently among the community.

“That brings it into a more personal way,” Todd Mannie said. “I think that brought everyone in the crowd better context for what these guys actually did and the battles they fought and the wounds they received.”

“That was probably an aspect that was different from years past,” he added.

Like many others, the Mannie couple seldom misses the day of remembrance.

“It’s just a support of our veterans and the patriotism they showed,” Todd Mannie said. “The least I can do is be here to listen to their stories.”

Bond later read an excerpt from a speech he gave at a previous Memorial Day ceremony.

“On this day of solemn tribute, to those who have taken their external reward while defending their fellow citizens, let us resolve to be worthy of their sacrifice,” Bond said.

The ceremony’s guest speaker was Don Wentworth, a World War II Army veteran. He provided a short speech on his 30-year career in the military, including experiences while serving in Guam for nine months following the surrender of Japan. He also thanked veterans present and was grateful for the honor of speaking at the ceremony.

Due to a miscommunication between American Legion Post 141 and Detachment 1210, who work together to put on the event, Wentworth was notified an hour prior to the ceremony that he would be the guest speaker. Despite the mishap, organizers said they received positive feedback from attendees.

“Today, the reaction was very positive,” Weissblum said after the ceremony. “I’ve been here as many years as Bob (Gabelein) has and we had several people come up and say that this was the best ever.”

“I even mentioned the glitch with the speaker and one lady said, ‘I didn’t even notice,’ ” added Bob Gabelein.

Among those who enjoyed the ceremony was Langley resident Steve Saign, a Navy veteran who served in Vietnam in 1968 during the Tet Offensive. He choked back tears when asked what Memorial Day meant to him. Saign felt the ceremony did  justice to those who had been lost.

“It was terrific,” Saign said. “Just very, very honorable.”

His friend, Air Force veteran Brent Bebee of Clinton, served 21 years in his branch. Like others have said in past remembrance ceremonies, Bebee and his spouse Toni urged younger generations to participate in similar events. Other than children with their families and students with Armstrong’s Taekwondo in Clinton, attendance was largely dominated by adults and senior citizens.

“They take our freedom for granted and they should not,” Toni Bebee said.

Despite a lack of attendees from the millennial generation, turnout for the event caught the attention of Bond, who said it was the largest he’d seen for a Memorial Day event on the South End. Bond served 30 years in active duty with the Navy as a command master chief of a Prowler squadron, where he served three tours of duty in Afghanistan.

“I’m just glad our nation has taken the time for many, many years to just stop and just reflect and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Bond said after the ceremony. “They’re the reason why we are who we are today.”