The shoes need to have a mirror shine.
And the step must be in perfect time.
That’s important. All the details are important, said Harland Smith, an 82- year-old World War II Navy veteran, because each one is a tribute to a fallen soldier.
So while some military veterans are disabled or suffer from painful arthritis, Smith said, they don their military uniforms to once again march at rigid attention on Veterans Day.
“We do it because it’s important,” Smith said. “We believed, and still believe, in what we fought for all those years ago.”
That’s why the parade isn’t just “another year” on Veterans Day, Smith said, but a reminder of what those freedoms are and the sacrifices made in their defense.
However, this year’s parade stumbled at the outset.
A traffic accident at 17th and Broadway delayed the kickoff for 25 minutes, and there were a few snickers from parade-goers when Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The USA” sang out across Civic Center park during the national anthem.
But opening speeches from Gov. Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and an appearance by Congressman Mark Udall heartened the modest crowd gathered along Broadway to cheer the cavalcade of veterans and active service members who marched for about two hours.
“My deepest appreciation goes out to the families who are here today of service men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country,” Ritter said. “Colorado is here for you.”
Smith said he had been disappointed by the falling parade turnout over the past several years, but Korean War veteran Annias Reeves said he was happy to see as many young people at this year’s parade as he did.
Several veterans from groups such as Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War brought up the rear of the parade and carried signs that said “War is not the answer” and “Dethrone King George and his court” and flashed peace signs in protest of the Iraq War.
The groups originally were barred from participating in the parade but eventually were allowed to march.
