A Morning at the High Ground — Recapping Our 2026 Memorial Day Ceremony
On the morning of May 25, 2026, hundreds of veterans, military families, civic leaders, community members, and friends gathered at the high ground of Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, California. They came from San Diego. They came from across the country. And one very special guest came all the way from Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland.
They came to honor a hero.
The Man We Honored
Corporal Patrick "Bob" Gallagher, United States Marine Corps, was born in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland. He came to America as a young man, settled on Long Island, and made a choice that would define his legacy forever — he joined the United States Marines before he was even a citizen. In 1967, during Operation Prairie near Cam Lo, Vietnam, he threw himself on a grenade to save the lives of his fellow Marines. For that extraordinary act of uncommon valor, he was awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest military decoration in the United States Navy. He made the ultimate sacrifice just months later, falling in action shortly before his tour was to end. He was 23 years old.
On May 25, 2026, his name was etched into the black granite walls of Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial for the very first time. It will be there forever.
The Ceremony
The morning opened with a Patriotic Overture performed by the Marine Band San Diego, conducted by Staff Sergeant Hannah Ford, setting a tone of reverence and pride that carried through every moment that followed. Jason Austell, KUSI News Anchor, served as Master of Ceremonies, guiding the audience through the program with warmth and dignity.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Jim Wheyland, Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial Veteran of the Year, and the Color Guard was presented by Second Battalion, Fourth Marines under Sergeant Bryson Bain. Fr. Kevin Sweeney, Chancellor of the Diocese of Orange County and retired U.S. Navy Chaplain, delivered a deeply moving invocation that set the spiritual tone for the tribute to follow.
Mairtin de Cogain performed the Irish National Anthem — a moment that honored the transatlantic bond at the heart of this year's ceremony — followed by the U.S. National Anthem performed by Marine Band San Diego.
Then came the flyover. The San Diego Salute Aerial Formation Team roared over Mt. Soledad in a tribute that drew audible gasps and brought the crowd to its feet. It was one of those moments that reminds you why you came.
The Speakers
Brigadier General David C. Hyman, Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and Western Recruiting Region, delivered the keynote address. A decorated Marine with a career spanning Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Joint Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps, and the Naval Command and Staff College and Harvard Business School, BGen Hyman brought both the authority of the Corps and a deep personal understanding of what it means to serve. His words honored not just Cpl. Gallagher, but every service member who has answered when this country called.
Then Pauline Gallagher took the stage.
Pauline Rose Gallagher, youngest of nine children of Peter and Mary Gallagher of Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland, traveled to Mt. Soledad to speak about her brother Patrick. A retired Garda Sergeant with 20 years of service in Dublin City Centre, an RTÉ alumna, and National Director of HR for The Good Shepherd, Pauline is a remarkable woman in her own right. But on May 25th, she was simply a sister. And what she shared about the boy who grew up in Ballyhaunis and chose to give everything for a country he was still in the process of making his own left not a dry eye in the audience.
Her presence at Mt. Soledad was a living bridge between two nations — and between a family's love and a nation's gratitude.
The Plaque Dedication
The centerpiece of the ceremony was the dedication of Cpl. Gallagher's plaque on the walls of Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial. Presented by the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association Board of Trustees and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, San Diego County, the moment was met with a silence that said everything words could not.
His name is on those walls now. Alongside more than 7,000 others — each one a person, each one a chapter in the American Story, each one a reason this nation has stood for 250 years.
The ceremony continued with Amazing Grace performed by the Helix Highlanders Pipe & Drum, a Rifle Salute and Taps by the Marine Rifle Detail with Cpl. Luke Smoak of Marine Band San Diego, and closing remarks from Phil Kendro, President of the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association Board of Trustees. The Armed Forces Medley, performed by Marine Band San Diego, honored every branch of service represented in that audience. And Mairtin de Cogain closed the morning with God Bless America — a fitting send-off for a ceremony that had honored the very best of what this country stands for.
Thank You to Our Sponsors and Partners
None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary generosity of our sponsors and partners.
Presenting Sponsor: Kaiser Permanente
Plaque Sponsors: Friendly Sons of St. Patrick San Diego County, COX, City of San Diego, Sycuan, R3, Strategic Support Group Inc., Wounded Warrior Project, Jersey Mike's Subs, AmeriVet Contracting, The Irish Outreach Center, 365 Connect, Adelaide's La Jolla, and Ellrod Images.
Drone Videography: Charles Rose.
And to our volunteers — for all the work you do to honor our veterans and make these ceremonies possible. Mt. Soledad is 100% supported by people who believe in this mission. Thank you.
A Note of Gratitude
To everyone who attended yesterday — thank you. For showing up. For standing at the walls. For honoring Bob Gallagher and all those who served beside him across every branch and every generation — the ones whose names are etched here and the ones whose courage history may never fully record.
And to the Gallagher family — thank you for sharing Patrick with us. For trusting us with his story. For making the journey to stand at this memorial and let the world see what his life meant and what it still means.
His spirit sails on the USS Patrick Gallagher. His legacy lives on these walls. And because of yesterday, a few hundred more people will carry his story with them for the rest of their lives.
That is what Mt. Soledad was built for.
We don't just preserve names. We protect the American Story.
250 Years of Valor. Etched in Stone.
🎥Watch ceremony highlights here: 2026 Memorial Day Ceremony
Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial is open daily from 7 AM to 10 PM, free of charge, at 6905 La Jolla Scenic Dr S, La Jolla, CA 92037. To learn more about honoring your veteran with a plaque, supporting our mission, or becoming a member, visit soledadmemorial.org.
