After a standing ovation by a crowd of veterans, members of the armed services, and a few New Yorkers at Central Park’s Summer Stage yesterday, the commander of the U.S. Central Command, Admiral William Fallon, urged citizens to pay respect to those fighting overseas.

“Their sacrifices have enabled us to enjoy the things that we, in many cases, sometimes take for granted,” Admiral Fallon said. “In distant places, we have other Americans standing tall in difficult circumstances, trying to do the right thing for you, for our country, and all that it stands for.”

Admiral Fallon’s remarks came on the most solemn day of Fleet Week, Memorial Day. It was also close to 10 weeks since he became commander of the force responsible for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a day before a meeting between American and Iranian ambassadors in Baghdad on ways to stop the insurgency there.

In a short question-and-answer period after his remarks, Admiral Fallon said Iran is an influential player in the Middle East and that the talks are an opportunity to restart a dialogue between the two countries, which cut diplomatic ties in 1979 after Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

A specialist with the United States Marine Corps, Michael Pocius, who lost his left leg and part of a finger on his right hand in an improvised explosive device explosion in Baghdad last year, said he thinks about the soldiers he fought alongside every day.

“I try not to keep up to date with everything,” he said. “It brings back a lot of bad memories.”

Two sailors walking along Lexington Avenue after the ceremony, Culinary Specialists Roberts and Harris, said New Yorkers are supportive of the more than 3,000 sailors, marines, and coastguardsmen in town for the week. After they asked a retired police officer from the neighborhood for directions, the officer bought them lunch at Neil’s Diner at 72nd Street, the men, who declined to give their first names, said.

“It’s not like in Fort Lauderdale,” Specialist Roberts said. “I didn’t like Fort Lauderdale.”