Please join the USS Hornet as we commemorate Veterans Day on November 11th. The ship opens at 10 am and the commemoration starts at 11 am.

The event will include the Hornet Horns playing the National Anthem, guest speaker Steve Minnear, a wreath laying ceremony at the fantail and more.

Steve Minnear’s (Bio Below) presentation is titled: Before Anchors Aweigh: How the San Francisco Bay Area Got Sailors to the USS Hornet and the Pacific Theatre. Many people know the story of how the Navy’s sailors fought World War II in the Pacific. But few know how the sailors got to their ships. Even fewer know how the San Francisco Bay Area played a critical role in moving Naval personnel from all over the United States on to ships to fight the war in the Pacific. Historian Steve Minniear will tell how three now unknown Navy bases near Dublin, California shipped over 350,000 sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen to war. And how the USS Hornet brought many back as part of Operation Magic Carpet.

The USS Hornet Memorial Squadron will conduct a flyover of the ship at 12:30 PM.

Film maker George Reletas will be unveiling a trailer to his new movie “Sundown to Eleven” and if you’ve seen his other video projects, you know this will be good! For more info: Sundown to Eleven (2025) Documentary (eleventhemovie.com)

In addition, we are partnering with the Alameda County Veterans Commission for Operation Greenlight. In the evenings from Nov 4th to the 11th we will be shining a green light in our island structure in support of our Veterans. Please see the ACVC website for more information.

Finally, we are partnering with Seatrek for their Veterans Day at Sea Trek. They are honoring veterans and highlighting the rich military history of the Bay Area with a special scenic Alameda Waterfront kayak tour. Please see their website for more information and consider joining them!

Steve Minnear bio:

Steve Minniear is an author, speaker, and social media creator focusing on the social, political, military, and naval history of the Dublin and Tri-Valley area. Besides being the Historian for the city of Dublin, he works at the Dublin Camp Parks Military History Center at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area. He is author of Alameda County Sheriff’s Office; Dublin and the Tri-Valley: The World War II Years (both with Arcadia Press); and Dublin, California: A Brief History (The History Press). He is also a Board Member of the Dublin Historical Society and a former commissioner of Dublin’s Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission. Steve volunteers at Dublin’s Heritage Park and Museums and consults at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Archive. He posts on local history on social media, including several Facebook and Instagram pages. Steve has spoken on TV 30 and to civic groups throughout Alameda and Contra Costa about local history. His blog, Other’s People’s Photos, and Stories, focuses on off-beat stories about the military, society, and history. It can be found at substack.com.

Mr. Minniear retired after 32 years of service with the Federal government in the national security field, including 22 years with the Department of Energy. He has a Master’s degree in Government from Georgetown University and received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the Society for Military History, Organization of American History, Council on America’s Military Past, National Council of Public Historians and has authored articles and book reviews for several publications.