Memorial Day ceremony at Bay Pines to honor the fallen

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - One of the largest Memorial Day ceremonies in the nation took place at the Bay Pines National Cemetery in St. Petersburg Monday.

Thousands, including veterans, their families and their friends, turned out to honor and pay tribute to the fallen.

Over the weekend, volunteers marked more than 35,000 graves with flags to honor those who served our country.

"We have a large number of veterans who call now call the Tampa Bay area home," said Congressman David Jolly (R-FL). "I know communities across the country will pause today to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, but I do believe the Tampa Bay area does it in a very special and sacred way," he said.