Memorial Day brought out large crowds across North County as young and old remembered this country's fallen heroes.

As bagpipes played and the sun broke through the clouds in Oceanside on Monday morning, more than 300 people gathered to pay their respects, then lined to place brightly colored parade wreaths and flowers on a mock soldier's grave set up in the parking lot of Elks Lodge No. 1561.

"I am very impressed by the numbers," said John Stryker Meyer, the Veterans Association of North County's Veteran of the Year 2008, decorated Vietnam veteran who served in the Special Forces, author and a former North County Times editor, who delivered the memorial address at the service he described as "exceptionally heartfelt."

Local Veterans of Foreign Wars posts presented a number of opportunities for the public to get involved.

In Vista, an all-day affair marked the somber occasion with a service, potluck and entertainment hosted by VFW Post 7041.

Down the coast, VFW Post 5431 presented a Memorial Day ceremony at La Colonia Community Park in Solana Beach.

Fallbrook Post 1924 held a ceremony at the Masonic cemetery, where retired Col. Frank DeMartini Jr. spoke, the Fallbrook Chorale sang and attendees placed flowers, donated by the Fallbrook Garden Club, at the graves of veterans.

The public was then invited to a potluck lunch at the post.

Also in Fallbrook, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Camp No. 21 gathered at the Odd Fellows Cemetery to remember Lt. Asa Hebberd of the 28th Wisconsin Infantry.

Members of the Civil War group dressed in mid-1800s attire. A group member read the 1868 government proclamation that established Memorial Day as a national holiday.

Inland, the Escondido Allied Veterans Council held a service at Oak Hill Memorial Park, where Marine Col. Stephani Smith and Maj. Dan Jackson spoke.

Lunch was then served at the Veterans Memorial Building.

In Rancho Bernardo, the Veterans Memorial Association honored the fallen with a ceremony at Webb Park, where retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Richard Fontaine greeted attendees and Rancho Bernardo High School Madrigals performed patriotic music.

The guest speaker of the event was Brig. Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin.

Back in Oceanside, as the sun set over the "perfect day," Eternal Hills Memorial Park held its 23rd annual candlelight Memorial Day ceremony with guest speaker Lt. Colonel Anthony A. Winicki and a performance by the USMC Brass Quintet.

The El Camino High School ROTC presented the colors at the Elks Lodge and Eternal hills events.

"This is really a great opportunity," said 17-year old Kara Sullivan, a ROTC member and junior at El Camino who has served in the color guard for two years.

"We get to see how much everyone is thankful to those who served and to themselves," referring to the countless numbers of proud veterans in attendance at the morning ceremony, she said.

The Veterans Association of North County sponsored the event and talk shifted to the group's desire to complete a new veterans center for the Oceanside community.

"I hope we won't have another one out here in the open," Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood said. "The veterans center will allow 28 groups to meet with past and future warriors."

Officials said fundraising has slowed along with the economy.

Stryker Meyer and Wood agreed that it was great to see such an "incredible turnout" -- especially the showing of younger people.

Stryker Meyer's brief key address ended with a call for balance between a new, young president advocating change and making sure we share the nation's rich history with the younger generation.

Hailey Duby, a sixth-grader at Old Mission Montessori in Oceanside, attended the ceremony for the first time after years of watching her "grandparents on both sides" head out year after year on Memorial Day.

The 12-year old said that she thought it was great because it is important for her generation to "know who's keeping us safe."

The Patino family of Oceanside went to the Rosecrans/Mount Soledad ceremony last year and made a point to come out to the Elks Lodge event this year with their young daughters, Jocelyn and JoAnn.

"I was just telling my daughter that many people have lost their lives and that they didn't just die, they died serving their country," said Anne Patino, who served in the Marines.

"As a military family, we want them to have love for their country," added Jose Patino, a current Marine. "We are instilling the same sense of respect for the people who have served."