Thousands lined Fifth Avenue in New York City on Nov. 11 for what is billed as the largest Veterans Day Parade in the country.
This year’s event marked 250 years since the Declaration of Independence and 25 years since the 9/11 attacks that led to the war in Afghanistan.
How did the Veterans Day Parade begin?
The day opened with the laying of wreaths at the Eternal Light Flagstaff in Madison Square Park. Representatives of the military services, foreign allies and corporate sponsors placed wreaths at the base of the monument.
The parade itself dates back to 1919, the year after the armistice that ended World War I. The flagstaff was dedicated in 1923 to honor those who served in that war.
What did Zohran Mamdani say?
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined the ceremony and honored veterans whose service won the freedoms Americans enjoy every day.
He pledged to build a city “worthy of their sacrifice,” one where every veteran has a safe place to sleep, a good paying job, an education and the medical care they need.
A group from the mayor’s office led the Veterans Day Parade, followed by veteran organizations.
Who marched in the Veterans Day Parade?
Veterans of the wars in Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq marched up the avenue. Families of World War II veterans carried oversized photos of relatives who served.
Gold Star families, active service members, military academies and military students from local universities also took part in the Veterans Day Parade.
One spectator came to honor her late father, a World War II Navy veteran who served aboard the USS Ajax, a repair ship. He died in 2023, just before his 101st birthday. She said he was proud of his country and proud to be a veteran.
Her husband said Americans owe veterans a great deal of gratitude for the freedoms they secured. He said that generation saved the world.
A visitor from the United Kingdom said the event felt completely different from Remembrance Day back home and much more like a celebration. Remembrance Day in Britain is typically a more solemn occasion marked by two minutes of silence.
Did everyone have good memories of service?
Not everyone did. A Navy veteran who was drafted said he came to celebrate his country even though he hated his four years of service.
He said that on his first night aboard ship, crewmates stole everything he owned and left him in his underwear. He compared the experience to prison but said he still loves his country. He later went on to study at Harvard.
Was there a protest at the Veterans Day Parade?
Members of Veterans for Peace, an antiwar group, marched with a large black banner that read “Abolish ICE.” A parade organizer took the banner after a block or two but returned it a few blocks later.
A member who served in the National Guard from 1963 to 1964 said it was not the group’s first protest at the Veterans Day Parade. Years ago, members took a knee in front of the grandstand and were banned from the event for a few years, he said.
An Army veteran who served from 1971 to 1974 said the parade was well run but the turnout was disappointing. He was glad to see Mamdani march but wished more politicians and celebrities had joined.
He said the military deserves more support because it defends the right of every American to speak out, no matter who they are.
For many on Fifth Avenue, the Veterans Day Parade was a chance to say thank you in person.
