The Melendez family marched quietly, their heads held high, in Saturday's Veterans Day parade in downtown Modesto.

Sandwiched between the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Johansen High School marching band, the family of five -- led by Lance Cpl.Manuel Melendez of the U.S. Marines -- made their way down the middle of I Street.

Manuel Melendez, who served in the Persian Gulf, his wife, Rita, and sons 12-year-old Manny, 8-year-old Antonio and 6-year-old Diego dressed in camouflage for the occasion.

"We're a military family," said Rita Melendez, ticking off various family members who have served. "This is important to us."

The Melendez family heard about the parade and organizers' invitation for all veterans to join in. They took them up on it, as did groups including Turlock's chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association and the area Blue Star Mothers and Families group, among others.

There were other Veterans Day observances Saturday, including parades in Escalon, Gustine and Livingston. There also was a Requiem Mass for veterans at St. John Bosco Catholic Church.

At Sky Trek Aviation at the Modesto Airport, the Army Reserve 91st Division Band and the governor's Honor Guard paid tribute to 11 area soldiers who died in the line of duty.

About 1,300 people attended the third annual event held inside Hangar 6.

Event organizers and artist Bob Davidson presented portraits of the soldiers to their families after a four-hour-long ceremony filled with patriotic music and performances.

Several families crowded around the portraits after the ceremony, including the family of Army Pfc. Karina Lau, a 20-year-old Livingston woman killed in Iraq in November 2003.

Her mother, Ruth Lau, said it was the second time the family attended the Veterans Day event in Modesto, but this year was different.

"It was really beautiful," she said in Spanish. "But these events can be really tough for us. It's like reliving the pain we went through all over again."

Nevertheless, she said, Veterans Day events are necessary, "so nobody forgets how they gave their lives."

Father and son

Leland Routt, 59, of Tracy also got to pay tribute to his father's military service on Saturday.

Melvin Routt, 85, was honored with the governor's POW award for his endurance as a prisoner of war and slave laborer on Japan's home islands during World War II.

Both father and son are veterans of foreign wars, so the day was an emotional one for their family.

"It was an honor," said Leland Routt of pushing his father in a wheelchair to receive his award. "There's no other words for it."

Tom Johnson, a Vietnam veteran and now state secretary forVeterans Affairs, presented Routt with the award.

"This is an opportunity for ustoday to recognize some of America'sgreatestheroes," Johnson said.

Other dignitaries spoke at the event, including Modesto native Stephen Recca, deputy director for the federal Center for Homeland Security.

Recca, a retired Navy commander, recognized the families of soldiers for their commitment to the war in Iraq and the global effort against terrorism.

"You understand the nature of service and citizenship," Recca said. "We are at war, make no mistake. This will likely be a war that crosses generations, something my children will have to face."

Military service is certainly honored in the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Juana Navarro, 24, of Ceres, who died April 8 from a gunshot wound as she guarded fellow Marines in Iraq's Anbar province.

Herbrother,20-year-old Marine Cpl. Lorenzo Navarro, traveled from his base in San Diego to attend Saturday's ceremony.

"I came all the way here to honor her," he said about his sister. "My family has gone through such hard times, but it's good to come together for this."

A wet parade

While the open hangar allowed some relief for audience members, the cold weather dampened some of the spirit at the morning parade.

It attracted a few hundred spectators, but the crowd appeared sparse, with people huddling under umbrellas or gathering in doorways to get out of the rain. Keynote speaker Jon Cavaiani remarked on attendance during his address.

"Unfortunately, a lot of people weren't able to be out to thank the veterans," said Cavaiani, a Medal of Honor recipient who lives in Columbia. "I sound bitter? I am. We've all been rained on, we've all been in the mud ... we've had other options, but we served."

Cavaiani,aVietnamvet, ended his talk by reciting "In Flanders Field," a tribute to soldiers dating back to the first World War.

Other speakers included Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager, a U.S. Navy veteran. There also was a talk by a representative of the Modesto office of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

It was a moving tribute, said Theresa and David Villarreal of Modesto. Their son, 22-year-old David, is serving in the Army and soon will be sent to Iraq.

"It's heartwarming to know that these people support our vets," she said.

Twelve-year-oldMannyMelendez, who marched with his family in the parade, agreed.

"Because my dad's a vet," he said, "I feel it's important to celebrate whoever fought for this country's rights."