Pearl Harbor Day Beacon Lighting Ceremony on Mt. Diablo, Monday
The lit Beacon at the top of Mt. Diablo. photo by Clayton Worsdell
On December 7th, Mount Diablo’s Beacon will be relit by survivors of Pearl Harbor.
“The Beacon lighting is a tribute to those individuals that lost their lives at Pearl Harbor”, says Earl “Chuck” Kohler, one of the few remaining survivors in Contra Costa County. However, the ceremony is also an opportunity to honor the survivors. When those who experienced Pearl Harbor are gone, the history is lost with them.
We invite you to attend the ceremony to pay tribute to and honor our veterans.
Pearl Harbor surviving veterans light the Beacon atop Mt. Diablo. photo by Charla Gabert
The Sons & Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, Chapter 5 are pleased to co-sponsor this 52nd Annual National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony with Save Mount Diablo. Presentations will be made by the few remaining local Pearl Harbor survivors, Mount Diablo State Park, David Behring (President of Wheelchair Foundation), as well as Save Mount Diablo.
The Beacon on Mount Diablo was originally installed and illuminated in 1928 to aid in trans-continental aviation. It is one of the four guiding beacons installed along the west coast by Standard Oil of CA and is the only one known to still be operational. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Beacon’s light was extinguished during the West Coast Blackout, for fear it may enable an attack on California. It stayed dark until Pearl Harbor Day 1964, when Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz relit the Beacon in a commemorative ceremony and suggested it be illuminated every December 7th to honor those who served and sacrificed. Since that day, Pearl Harbor Veterans and their families have gathered every December 7th to see the Beacon light shine once again.
What: Save Mount Diablo, the Sons & Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and California State Parks will light the “Eye of Diablo”, the Beacon atop Mount Diablo to memorialize Pearl Harbor Day. As the number of Survivors has decreased over the years, the number of people attending the ceremony in honor of these heroes has increased, including many sons and daughters vital to organizing the service.
When: Monday, December 7th, 2015, 3:45pm, lighting at 5pm
Where: The ceremony and lighting will be held at California State University, East Bay Campus, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord, CA
Access: Parking is available on Campus and the ceremony will be held in the Oak Room (with extra seating in the Redwood Room)
For more information about the Beacon Lighting Ceremony: please visit http://www.savemountdiablo.org/activities_events_beacon.html or contact Save Mount Diablo’s office at (925) 947-3535
Save Mount Diablo is a non-profit 501(c)(3) conservation organization, which has been preserving lands on and around Mount Diablo and educating the public to the mountain’s natural values since 1971. Preserved lands have increased from 6,788 acres in one park to more than 110,000 acres in more than 40 parks and preserves. Save Mount Diablo continues to preserve, defend and restore the remainder of the mountain for people and wildlife to enjoy. Contact: Save Mount Diablo, telephone: (925) 947-3535, fax: (925) 947-0642, 1901 Olympic Blvd., Suite 320, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; www.SaveMountDiablo.org.
the attachments to this post:
Mt Diablo Lit Beacon_byClaytonWorsdell
BeaconLighting_byCharlaGabert
