From San Pedro to Whittier, Memorial Day remembrances and celebrations take place throughout Southern California on Monday.

From the Los Angeles National Cemetery to a dusty burial ground in a high desert community, Americans gathered to honor the men and women who have died in service to the nation.

In what had long been celebrated every May 30 to honor America’s fallen soldiers, Memorial Day officially became a federal holiday in 1971, observed on the last Monday in May. The U.S. holiday is also considered the unofficial opening of the summer travel season,