Now Bingham will be the most recent hero to be honored when the Saratoga Foothill Club coordinates the annual Memorial Day ceremony on May 26 in downtown Saratoga.

Children from the community will be placing laurel boughs and American flags on the graves of Bingham and the 723 war veterans buried at Madronia Cemetery as part of the traditional ceremony that the Foothill Club has been coordinating since the 1920s.

Among the 200 or so residents from Saratoga, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno that are expected to attend the Memorial Day event will be Bingham's mother and a first-time attendee, Alice Hoglan.

"I'm pleased that people remember my son as a hero," said Hoglan. "He fought the first battle in the war against terror."

Bingham, who would have turned 32 on May 21, had a deep love and respect for his country and was always a champion of the underdog, according to his mother, a Los Gatos resident.

"He always fought for the things he believed in," she said.

Paying tribute to fallen heroes is a tradition that originated in Waterloo, N.Y., during the Civil War. On what was initially called Decoration Day and held on May 5, flowers were strewn on the graves of those who lost their lives during battle. In 1892, Congress officially changed the name of the holiday to Memorial Day.

The day will begin with the placing of a wreath on the Memorial Arch next to the fire station on Saratoga­Los Gatos Road at 9:30 a.m. The wreath, handcrafted each year by a member of the club, is made out of laurel branches and adorned with patriotic ribbons of red, white and blue. The laurel, which is symbolic of gallantry, is gathered from the gardens of many club members.

Following the wreath ceremony will be a program held at Madronia Cemetery at 10 a.m., where guest speaker Col. James T. Williams, commander of the 129th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard, will honor all of the service men and women.

Also present will be the Saratoga High School Band and Chorus, as well as members from the Boy and Girl Scouts and the 4-H Club.

"This is the most significant community event that brings everyone together," said Marlene Duffin, who is the president of the club. "It's important that we pay tribute to those who served our country. We owe a debt to those who sacrificed their lives to keep our country free."

Ann Monroe, co-chairwoman of the committee spearheading the event, said that this year's ceremony is unique because it coincides with the war that has been taking place this year.

"The event evokes feelings of nostalgia, patriotism and pride in our community," said Monroe. "It's a chance for us to show our respect for those who served our 'land of the free and home of the brave.'"