Event salutes Patton

A plaque honoring Gen. George Smith Patton Jr., one of the greatest field generals in U.S. history, will be added to the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial during the annual tribute at 2 p.m. Monday.

It’s a watershed time in the history of the memorial association, said Bob Phillips, honorary trustee.

“We are nearing the time when we’re going to be completing the memorial walls (with plaques), hopefully this year,” said Phillips. “We’ve also refurbished the memorial, repainted and repaired the cross and completed the railings that surround the walls up to the cross platform, all done on behalf of safety for the public.”

Among those attending the annual Memorial Day tribute will be a relative of the rough-talking, hard-charging Army general most famous for his World War II campaigns, La Jollan Carolyn Patton Detweiller.

Master of ceremonies for the event will be John Smith. Also in attendance will be veteran and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego whose 75th District includes La Jolla.

To commemorate Patton, Mike Province, one of the world’s foremost experts on Patton, will return to La Jolla from his retirement home in Oregon City, Ore., to speak about the general he has spent the past four decades studying and researching. Province first crossed paths with the legacy of Patton when he served in the army and lived in the Patton Barracks in Heidelberg, Germany for three years.

Province has the world’s largest collection of Patton books and memorabilia and has authored four books on the famous general who was a voracious student of history. He also maintains “The Patton Society” website at

www.pattonhq.com

, which contains the full uncensored text of one of Patton’s most famous speeches.

The ceremony will also include a a keynote address by Brig. Gen. Angela Salinas, commanding general at Marine Corps Recruit Depot. Navy Band Southwest will again provide the music and the MCRD Rifle Team will present a 21-gun salute.

The ceremony will conclude with a flyover by the San Diego Flyover Salute T-34 Performance Team.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive at least 30 minutes early to allow time to board shuttles leaving from the parking lots of the Mt. Soledad Presbyterian Church and the French American School.

The veterans memorial is located within Soledad Natural Park, 6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive South.

Memorial Day events are also planned for:

-11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Del Mar. Rev. Babs Meairs, a Marine Corps veteran, will speak. Call (858) 279-5458.

-11 a.m. at La Colonia Community Park, 715 Valley Ave., in Solana Beach