Veterans Day Remarks

Mayor Dale Byrne

Devendorf Park, Carmel-by-the-Sea – November 11, 2025

Good morning, and thank you for gathering here in Devendorf Park — the heart of our village — to honor those who have served and sacrificed for our nation. From World War I to the present day, Carmel-by-the-Sea has always answered the call. Our residents — artists, shopkeepers, teachers, and dreamers — have worn our country's uniform. Every name etched in these plaques tells a story of those that didn’t return. Others came home not only with medals, but with quiet examples of courage, discipline, and love of country.

For me, this service has always been deeply personal. My father passed away this year at 95. He served in Germany and Japan in the years following World War II — part of that generation that helped rebuild former enemies into allies and secure a lasting peace. Like so many of his era, he rarely spoke of his service, but he lived every day with humility, optimism, and an abiding sense of duty that continues to inspire me.

As we stand among these memorials — including the beam from the World Trade Center honoring those lost on September 11 — I’m proud to share that the City has dedicated funds in this year’s budget to enhance and preserve these monuments. They are more than stone and steel; they are living reminders of the values that bind us: service, community, and gratitude.

Veterans Day is also about how we, as a community, honor those values. When we support our local veterans’ groups, when we look after one another, when we teach our children what these memorials mean — that is how we keep faith with those who served.

To every veteran here today, and to the families who stood alongside them: Carmel thanks you. Your example continues to inspire us to serve in our own ways — whether in uniform, in public office, or simply as caring neighbors.

Let us always remember that freedom is sustained not only by the brave actions of those who defend it, but by the daily kindness and unity of the communities they protect.

Thank you, and God bless our veterans, their families, and this beautiful village we call home.