DUNCAN —
This Veterans Day, Vietnam War veterans are getting the recognition they earned decades ago.
With the national holiday coming up Sunday, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1192 will host its annual Veterans Day parade at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Downtown Duncan. The theme for this year’s parade is “40 Years: Welcome Home Vietnam Vets.”
This year marks 40 years since a peace treaty was signed for the Vietnam War, although the war didn’t end for another three years.
“I anticipate it to be a nice parade,” Daniel Leal, VFW parade chairman, said.
Leal is among the veterans who fought in the Vietnam War. Leal said this year’s parade will be special to Vietnam veterans and younger veterans, making note of those currently serving the United States.
Veterans Day takes place every Nov. 11. The holiday, which was called Armistice Day when it was established Nov. 11, 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, was renamed as Veterans Day in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Because the holiday does land on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday, which will be the case this year.
The Saturday parade will include a bag pipe group, the Duncan High School and the Empire High School bands, and the participation of numerous veterans. Leal said the parade is all about recognizing the veterans.
“We’re going to have a lot of veterans in the parade,” Leal said. “We’ll have a lot of the current vets in the parade. It’s the Veterans Day parade.”
He said it’s important for current veterans to be involved in the parade because it shows them the impact they’ve had on the community. Leal said it also give the community a chance to recognize all of the men and women who have served the country.
“We still have veterans in Afghanistan and other places,” Leal said. “It gives the young veterans an idea of how important they are.
“Everybody’s proud of them.”
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Veterans parade set for Saturday in Duncan
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