The 105th Leavenworth County Veterans Day Parade is at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 11 in downtown Leavenworth.
2024 theme: Serving Our Nation — Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
This parade is known as one of the oldest Veterans Day observances in the nation and the largest parade West of the Mississippi River. It has again received Regional Site designation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, representing Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma. The parade will offer a variety of entries to pay homage to all veterans “Serving Our Nation — Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow.”
-Chaplain Sanford posthumously honored as Grand Marshal
It was a unanimous decision by the parade committee to name retired Chaplain (Col.) Gary Thomas Sanford posthumously as Grand Marshal.
Better known locally to his friends and the community as Pastor Sam, he was known across the Army for this “Moses Stick” or “God Rod,” which he used throughout his career to encourage troops to always fight the good fight and keep their faith in Jesus. Members of his family will represent Pastor Sam in the parade.
-U.S. Navy Week in Kansas City
Navy Community Outreach Planner Ensign Lamar Badger said that the Navy chooses 15 cities across the country each year where sailors will visit as part of a community outreach program to share information about what the Navy has to offer. Kansas City, Missouri, was chosen as the last city for this year as it coincides with Veterans Day and the Navy wanted to participate in the Leavenworth County Veterans Day Parade as their kick-off event for U.S. Navy Week in Kansas City, Missouri, which is Nov. 11-17. Parade attendees will see the Navy Band Great Lakes as its members march through the parade route in their dress blues playing patriotic tunes, followed by more than 30 hometown heroes.
The parade is a wonderful way for the community to properly honor and recognize U.S. Armed Forces veterans for “Serving Our Nation — Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow,” said Becky Johnson, secretary of the Leavenworth County Veterans Day Parade Committee.
-Military parade support
The committee has received great support from five military groups when planning and executing the parade.
Fort Leavenworth, established in 1827, will again be an active participant with the Army Corrections Brigade Color Guard leading the parade, and a marching contingency followed by a group of international officers, and Fort Leavenworth Fire and Emergency Services personnel, including the post’s provost marshal and firefighters in a firetruck.
The Navy Reserve Center of Kansas City Color Guard will lead the Navy Band Great Lakes and the Navy hometown heroes.
The 139th Airlift Wing Color Guard from the Missouri Air National Guard, based at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph, Missouri, will participate with the fire department's rapid intervention vehicle.
At 10:58 a.m., the parade will pause for the playing of taps at 11 a.m. by buglers stationed throughout the parade route, after which the parade will resume.
There will be a flyover at approximately 11:03 a.m. of a KC-135 Stratotanker refueler from Altus Air Force Base out of southwest Oklahoma.
-Hundreds of parade entries
The parade has approximately 250 entries this year, which include the Leavenworth High School Army Junior ROTC, Washington High School (Kansas City, Kansas) Air Force JROTC, nine bands, many Boy and Girl Scout troops, Daughters of the American Revolution, Kansas Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, Green Berets, several re-enactor groups representing the Civil War (Grand Army of the Republic) and World War II, two large groups of military preservation vehicles, an entry honoring the 65th Infantry Regiment "The Borinqueneers" Puerto Rican regiment of the U.S. Army, multiple Shriners Clubs with their little vehicles, businesses, civic organizations, veterans organizations and horses.
The list goes on and on with something for everyone with everyone having the same goal; to pay tribute to and to thank veterans.
The last entry will again be the American Freedom Riders horse drill team from Concordia, Kansas.
The entry traveling the furthest this year is the Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial Float, honoring all first responders who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
-Parade route
The parade will follow its usual route, beginning at Fourth and Cherokee streets. The parade will travel east on Cherokee and then north on Esplanade Street. The parade will turn west on Delaware Street and then south on Seventh Street. The parade then will travel east on Cherokee Street, ending at Fifth and Cherokee streets.
Lineup of parade entries will begin at 9 a.m. All entries are to first go to the information booth on the west side of the Leavenworth Public Library, any time after 7 a.m., where they will be told their entry number and receive instructions on how to reach their lineup position.
The committee asks that community members do their part in protecting each other locally as our service members do to protect our country and our freedoms. People experiencing COVID-19 symptoms are asked stay home or watch the parade from inside their vehicle.
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