SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Veterans, military leaders and community members gathered on Mount Soledad on Saturday to honor America’s service members ahead of Veterans Day and to celebrate 250 years of service by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The ceremony at the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial marked a dual milestone — the nation’s upcoming Veterans Day and the 250th anniversary of the Navy and Marine Corps, both of which have deep historical ties to San Diego dating back to 1846.

“This is the only memorial in the United States of America like this,” said Neil O’Connell, executive director of the Mount Soledad Memorial Association. “It’s 71 years old.”

Retired Brig. Gen. Paul Lebidine of the U.S. Marine Corps reflected on that history, recalling how Marines raised the American f

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