by Elka Worner
Former Navy doctor Leo Rodriguez, who served in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Hermosa Beach Veterans Day Ceremony, a community tradition that honors those who’ve worn the nation’s uniform.
“Veterans Day is the day we come together each year to remember what unites us as Americans, the courage, duty, and love of country that our veterans embody,” said Vietnam veteran Steve Crecy, a longtime Hermosa Beach resident and event organizer.
Rodriguez was a Navy Lieutenant Commander in charge of a trauma unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he and his team treated more than 1,400 wounded soldiers.
During the Persian Gulf War, he flew aboard Osprey helicopters to evacuate the injured from the battlefield, providing life-saving care in the air. He is now an emergency physician at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance.
The 31st Annual Veterans Day Ceremony will take place Tuesday, November 11, at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial on Pacific Coast Highway and 11th Street. The event will begin with a performance by the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band, followed by remarks from city officials.
After the ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments at the Hermosa Beach Historical Society Museum.
For more information, contact the City of Hermosa Beach Community Resources Department at (310) 318-0280 or visit hermosabeach.gov/veterans.
