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Vietnam veteran and peace activist John Riccio never thought he would be spending yet another Memorial Day putting white crosses in the sand north of the Naples Pier, each symbolic of an American solider killed in Iraq.

JAKOB SCHILLER / Daily News

Senior Airman William Blair with the 42nd Security Forces Squadron, offers a final salute to the cross bearing the name of Specialist Brandon D. Gordon, of Naples, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan this past February. Gordon's cross and others were set up on the beach next to the Naples pier as part of a Memorial Day display to remember all the soldiers who have died to date while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. "It's our way of saying goodbye," said Blair, who knew Spc. Gordon. "These are all our brothers and sisters."

Monday there he was once again on the day when Americans remember fallen U.S. servicemen and women from all wars.

Nowadays, though, the sentiment among beachgoers and others who come look at his remembrance to American military killed in Iraq is much stronger against the war in Iraq, he said.

"Oh absolutely," Riccio, 68, said, adding that he’s been protesting American politics regarding Iraq since 2002. "That’s when 70 percent of them were in favor of the war and now, dollar for dollar, point for point, 70 percent are against the war."

But Riccio is quick to point out that the Memorial Day remembrance, also called "Arlington South" because of its symbolism with white crosses, is not a protest.

"Today this is a memorial, my only focus is to mourn and grieve," he said, adding that his two sons served in Iraq and are now home.

Today 3,840 American military men and women have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Riccio has switched approaches from using a white cross to recognize each military member killed to using one red cross to represent 100 killed.

On Monday, 750 white crosses and 24 red crosses stood in the sand, stretching 150 feet along the beach. The names and ages of the dead were called out by Riccio and other volunteers.

William Blair, a 24-year-old from Naples who is in the U.S. Air Force, approached Riccio and asked if there was a white cross for Army Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, 21, of Naples. Gordon was killed this past Feb. 17 when his helicopter went down in Afghanistan.

There was not, Riccio replied, but pledged to make one momentarily and put it in the sand. Blair was an acquaintance of Gordon’s from Lely High School. Soon enough, Riccio was tapping a new white cross in the sand in the front row.

"This means everything," Blair said of the beach ceremony. "They’re all kids. They deserve more recognition."

Holley Rauen, 54, who lives in Fort Myers, came to the beach for the peaceful ceremony. Her ex-husband was in Vietnam.

"I’ve been a peace and justice activist my whole life," she said, wearing a T-shirt that said "Bush lied." She and others demonstrate against the war in Fort Myers every Wednesday during rush hour at Colonial and McGregor boulevards.

"We see more peace signs," she said. "A lot more people are really sick of (the war)."

Jack and Cathleen Macedo of New Jersey, who have a condominium in Naples, watched the beach scene from the pier.

"It’s very emotional," Cathleen Macedo said. "It puts things in perspective. We support the war. It’s obviously a measure that needs to be taken. As the president said earlier today, ‘All wars come to an end.’"