Hello! Wanted to mention about this exciting weekend and invite those of you who are in the NYC area to come out on Monday 30th to the largest and oldest Memorial Day Parade in the country. It is the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade which begins at 89th St. and 3rd Ave. at 11 AM. I'll be riding in a WWII tank and 5th in the parade line up- excited to be all up front and center! Here's to doing my best to make NY proud! Hope you can join me as it's bound to be a wonderful day in honoring all veterans both human and canine. :) In the meantime, I thought it would be interesting to share some facts about this amazing event as there is a lot of history behind all this....144 years in the making to be exact! Enjoy!
1. The 144th year, this is the oldest continuously run Memorial Day parade in the nation.
2. Parade originally ran along Eastern Parkway for many years and also along Prospect Park
West in Park Slope. The parade has been held in Bay Ridge for the past 19 years.
3. Participants include all Veteran Organizations in Brooklyn: the Veterans of Foreign Wars,
American Legion, Catholic War Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Korean War Veterans,
Vietnam Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, Gulf War and OEF/OIF
Veterans, the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Brooklyn “Key Chapter”
American Ex-Prisoners of War. Special guests include service members who have served
in Iraq and Afghanistan and troops from the Wounded Warrior project and Hope 4 the
Warriors. Antique fire trucks and autos will also be featured.
4. Sponsored by the United War Veterans of Kings County and the Brooklyn Borough
President.
5. The United War Veterans of Kings County are the successors to the Grand Army of the
Republic and the Spanish American War Veterans, and are a constituency of all Brooklyn
Veteran Organizations joined by the National Guard, Labor Unions, Civic Organizations
and patriotic youth organizations among others.
6. Boy and Girl Scouts, Sea Cadets, Explorers and many Brooklyn High School bands
participate.
7. Parade kicks off at 11 AM on 91st Street and Third Ave. goes to Marine Ave. then up to
Fourth Ave. and over to John Paul Jones Park, for a ceremony that includes a Wreath
Laying, Flag Raising, Playing of Taps and a 21 gun-salute by Soldiers from the US Army
Fort Hamilton Garrison. The NYPD Auxiliary Band will provide music.
8. The lead Veteran Organization for 2011 is the 715 Veteran Association.
9. The 2011 Grand Marshal is Bay Ridge Community Activist and Brooklyn Eagle columnist
Larry Morrish.
10. Deputy Grand Marshals are the Ryan family of Bay Ridge: Major General Herbert F. Ryan -
NY Guard (Ret.); Lieutenant Colonel Stephen J. Ryan; Major David H. Ryan and Major
Andrew F. Ryan.
11. Honorary Grand Marshals are State Senator Marty Golden; Borough President Marty
Markowitz; and NY City Councilman Vincent Gentile.
12. Reviewing Officer is Col. Michael J. Gould, Commander US Army Garrison Fort Hamilton.
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