26th Annual Saint Louis Regional Veterans Day Observance

Saint Louis Regional Veterans Day Obervance

The 26th Veterans Day Parade 2009
in downtown St. Louis

How To Reach Us:
St. Louis Front Page
P.O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188

Voice: 314-771-0200
Fax: 314-771-0300

To submit news, contact:
editor@slfp.com

To advertise, contact:
advertising@slfp.com

Honoree Korean War Veteran Robert Meeker spoke to the large crowd gathered in front of the Soldier's Memorial in downtown St. Louis, prior to the start of the 26th Annual Regional Veterans Day Celebration.

26th Annual Regional Veterans Day Celebration in Downtown St. Louis Honors Area Veterans
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), November 8, 2009 - Unusual warm weather and the recent tragedy which took the lives of service men and women at Fort Hood drew hundreds of families and friends to the 26th Annual Regional Veterans Day Celebration in downtown St. Louis.

The huge crowd observed a moment of silence prior to the start of the parade. Overhead, the drone of vintage miliary aircraft lent a somber tone to the event. Kicking off promptly at Noon, the parade units traveled through the downtown streets, from 14th and Chestnut, east to Tucker, south on Tucker to Market and then west on Market to Union Station.

Guest speaker Korean veteran Robert Meeker, who enlisted in the Navy in 1945 and later received a ROTC commission in the army, observed that there was a strong difference between the Korean conflict in relationship to what is happening now.

Over the drum beats of the parade units passing in front of the Soldier's Memorial, Meeker responded quietly to a question about the Korean War. "There was a definite mission to accomplish. It was a police action in support of the United Nations. In our current situation, we haven't clearly identified our goals and that's what President Obama has to work out now," stated Meeker.

The two-hour parade drew a very supportive and respectful crowd who cheered the military and civilian units including: military personnel proudly carrying the U.S. flag, the Gateway Chapter of paralyzed veterans, Gateway Airforce JROTC marching band, vintage blue locomotive "Voiture Local 38", Jefferson Barracks National Cemetary truck, Normandy South High School JROTC band, John Ford Higgins Bagpipers of America, the Moolahs, Civil War Re-enactors, Boy Scouts carrying a banner saluting "100 Years of Scouting, vintage automobiles and vintage military units and the Gateway Corvette club.

The pageantry concluded with the thundering roar of over 800 motocycles riding in formation to honor the veterans.

Vintage military aircraft performed a slow flyover prior to the start of the parade.

Gateway Chapters of paralyzed veterans participated in the Veterans Day Parade.

Vicky Tornay, California, took photos of the giant flag and the parade as it passed by City Hall.

Parade-goers snapped pictures of the Budweiser Clydesdales who made a special appearance in the Veterans Day Parade to honor and thank the veterans.

John LaTtray, Jr. waved his flag enthusiastically as he marched in front of the VP Parade Bagpipers.

Tom "The Kong" Kompton rode his Toronado 455CI trike featuring a custom eagle ferring.

The Normandy South High School JROTC band performed during the parade.

Military personnel proudly carried the U.S. flag during the 26th Annual Regional Veterans Day Parade, November 7, as hundreds of families and friends cheered from the sidewalks along Market Street.

The St. Louis Front Page and Southwest Illinois News are owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan St. Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2009 Moore Design Group.