Once a year, on December 7^th, the Mt. Diablo beacon is lit and shines over a wide area from around sunset until around sunrise the next day.

According to the organization “Save Mount Diablo”:

“Standard Oil of California constructed a 75 ft aviation beacon jointly with the U.S. Dept of Commerce to encourage and as a guide for commercial aviation (visible for 100 miles, first lit by Charles Lindberg). The beacon was later transferred to the Summit Building and is now lit only on December 7th, Pearl Harbor Day.”

The Summit building was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1939 and 1942.

The beacon was used until December 7, 1941.  With the attack on Pearl Harbor, the beacon was turned off so as to not guide Japanese planes for night attacks.  After the war it was no longer needed, and fell into disrepair.  The beacon was repaired in 1964 by Pearl Harbor survivors.  That year also began the Memorial Ceremony and lighting of the beacon each December 7^th.

The Mt. Diablo chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association has held a memorial ceremony in the summit building each year.  After 2011, when the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association disbanded, the ceremony has been continued by the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors.  The service consists of a guest speaker, and each of the survivors speaks of his experience.

This year was a special ceremony, as it was the first with the newly restored beacon.  Many hours of work went into restoring the beacon, which had been showing its age, and was increasingly difficult to make operable each Dec 7.

In 2013, due to low temperatures, the ceremony was moved to Cal State East Bay, in Concord.  At the appropriate time the survivors radioed someone on Mt. Diablo to turn on the beacon, and then start the rotation.

The 2013 Ceremony consisted of:

• Posting of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance:  Military History Preservation Society

• National Anthem - Steve Barton

• Welcoming Remarks - Danita Rodriquez, Marin District Superintendent / Diablo Vista Superintendent (Acting)

• Ceremonial Remarks - Kathleen Farley, Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors

• Pearl Harbor Survivors - "What the Restored Pearl Harbor Remembrance Beacon Means To Us"

• Featured Speaker - Ron Brown, Executive Director, Save Mount Diablo

• America the Beautiful - Steve Barton

• "Taps" - Frank Dorritie, Member of Bugles Across America

• Lighting of the Newly Restored Pearl Harbor Remembrance Beacon - Pearl Harbor Survivors

	Wayne Korsinen provides opening remarks
Presenting of the Colors - Historical Forces Association.
Steve Barton sings the National Anthem	Ron Brown acknowledges attending dignitaries
Danita Rodriquez Marin District Superintendent / Diablo Vista Superintendent (Acting) provides Welcoming Remarks
Kathleen Farley, Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors	Field Representatives from Joan Buchanan's office, Ron Brown, and "The Beacon Boyz" (Dick Heron, John Gallagher, John Stuart) being recognized for their work in restoring the beacon.
The patch presented from the Pearl Harbor Survivors	Special Acknowledgement to Joan Buchanan (represented by Gail) and Ron Brown for the work in the beacon restoration.
Gail (Representative of Joan Buchanan) expresses her thanks.

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All photos by Bill Nale of eLivermore.com