Dozens of residents of a senior care facility in West Roxbury were honored for their military service on Veterans Day, as local leaders expressed gratitude for their commitment to duty.
At a morning ceremony, attendees gathered around a “Wall of Honor” in the home’s lobby to show appreciation for residents past and present and staff members who served in the armed forces.
Of the more than 25 veterans honored at the German Centre’s 16th annual Veterans Day celebration, many served during World War II, organizers said.
A permanent display with photographs of veterans at the center has grown steadily over the years, said Daffney Guey, the home’s director of life enrichment.
“Our veterans mean [so] much to us,” Guey said, noting that many look forward to the ceremony and rush to get front-row seats. “Even the residents who haven’t served, they have family or know someone [who did].”
The service gives the whole community “a sense of appreciation,” she said.
This year’s event was particularly “star-studded,” Guey said, featuring remarks from Truc DeCoste, a regional liaison for the state’s Office of the Veteran Advocate, and Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden. Mayor Michelle Wu, various state representatives, and Boston Police Captain Nicole McMullin also attended.
DeCoste was awarded this year’s Deborah Sampson Award in June by the Executive Office of Veterans Services for her service helping other female veterans.
“Seeing a sea of veterans and supporters was incredible” and a strong reminder of the large veteran community in Boston, she said.
DeCoste said her grandfather, an American soldier, died in the Vietnam War and she came to the United States as a child.
Sharing memories of military service, like her time in the Air Force in Afghanistan, “gives future generations something to strive for,” she said.
The wall of honor, which was created 16 years ago by Carol Kelly, Guey’s former supervisor and a military wife, is intended as a reminder to the residents that their service is not forgotten, Guey said.
“Not a lot of them can remember what age they enlisted or the details, but they remember they’re a veteran and are proud that they served,” Guey said.
In a crowded hall on Wednesday, Army veteran Michael Segal recalled arriving by train in Berlin in the 1960s, when he could still see the lasting effects of World War II.
Segal, 86, said his favorite thing about the event is its sincere appreciation for veterans.
“It doesn’t matter [who’s there], I attend every year,” he said. “I just like it.”
Larry Carbonaro, 97, is a Korean War veteran who was stationed in Germany in the 1950s. He recalled marrying his sweetheart one month after he returned from the war, wedding in September 1953 at a ceremony arranged by her father.
The service opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and a performance of the national anthem by students at Roxbury Latin School. It concluded with a performance of “God Bless America.”
“The older generations really paved the way for us. The freedoms and the joys we get to experience are because of their service,” DeCoste said. “We make it a point to make sure they know.”
Bryan Hecht can be reached at bryan.hecht@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @bhechtjournalism.