City of Bonita Springs

The City of Bonita Springs and the City of Bonita Springs Veterans Advisory Committee invite the public to attend its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30th, 2022. The service will be located in downtown Bonita Springs Riverside Park (10450 Reynolds St, Bonita Springs, FL 34135) and will begin at 9:00 a.m. The guest speaker for the Memorial Day Service is David Grossi.

Dave enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1966. In 1967, he volunteered for the newly created Air Force “Ranger” program and was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky to train at the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne School for eventual deployment to South Vietnam. Upon completion of his tour of duty in Vietnam in 1969, he was transferred to the 1st Air Commando Wing at England Air Force Base in Louisiana. He was honorably discharged from active duty with the rank of Sergeant in 1970.

While still serving in the Air Force Reserves, Dave joined a large municipal police department in upstate NY where he served for over 20 years. Upon retiring in 1990, he joined a national police training organization where he trained civilian and military police across the country, earning “Excellence in Training” awards from the U.S. Army Law Enforcement Command at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Dave’s medals and citations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, the New York State Medal for Merit, and the Florida Veterans Service Medal presented to him by then-Governor Rick Scott.

He has life memberships in Chapter #20 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, VFW Post #4254, and American Legion Post #303. He is also the past Chair of the City of Bonita Springs Veterans Advisory Board.
A graduate of the FBI National Academy and the State University of New York, Dave is also a published author and has written about military and veterans’ issues for MilitaryOne.com, the Vietnam Veterans magazine, and other publications.

He resides here in Bonita Springs.

The Memorial Day Ceremony will include traditional commemorations such as the Posting of the Colors, the Presentation of the Blue/Gold Star Banners, a 21-gun salute, and the laying of the wreaths. The service is organized by the all-volunteer City of Bonita Springs Veterans Advisory Committee.

Please join us as we honor those who have given their lives in service to their country. For questions about the Memorial Day Service, please call City Hall at (239) 949-6262.