Leavenworth Veterans Day Parade 2013

Look beyond the color guard.  Row after row of JROTC students from Leavenworth were lined up in formation, ready to join the parade. 

These are the Washington High School, Kansas City, Kansas Air Force JROTC, this is a famous program in our area.  Washington has turned around a lot of kids with their JROTC program. 

The lady in the grey sweatshirt is one of the parade marshals, all volunteers. 

There were vehicles from every era. 

They were playing "We Gotta Get Outa This Place" (.... they were from MY era, Vietnam... and I could comisserate with them.  A lot of the "boys" who were in my senior class went straight from graduation to Saigon. 

This was a Vietnam-era Medevac Huey 

There was a very large unit of vehicles from the Second World War, very interesting to see. 

Uncle Sam and his Scots cousin were there.  

At this point, we went up around the next corner. 

This year's fly-over was two biplanes.  It was VERY windy at this point, and the temps had started falling. 

This parade is so wonderful... at halfway, we all stop... all units, and the marshals hold up paddles that read 

"Stop for TAPS". 

Then, a lone bugler comes out, stands to attention, and plays Taps. 

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh. 

As the echoes from the bugle notes fade away in the streets, everyone 

had stood at attention and men uncovered their heads.  I know there were 

tears in our eyes, and many others. 

Leavenworth IS a company town, you know. 

And here came one of those companies, standing tall, guidons snapping in the wind, counting cadence as they marched.  As Keith commented... so many of these young men and women have done one, two, three tours of duty overseas already... and had a right to walk tall and proud. 

After about an hour and a half, the temps had begun to fall and it was blowing even harder.  We had parked some six blocks away, in the old neighborhood where we lived in Leavenworth when Keith first retired from the Army. 

As we went up fourth street, look who we found! 

I stayed there to wait while Keith went on to the car, because it was really chilly now. 

But I was rewarded for standing out in the wind, and I am praying this video loads today... 

You will see the Buffalo Soldiers go by, and also, 

at the end, General Washington with his escort of Whippers-In from the Leavenworth Hunt Club. 

What a grand parade it was! 

And, of course, Blogger would not load my video (again). 

I'm going to try one more time while I do out to do chores in the now-biting cold. 

And... of course, it did not load again. 

I'm going to load it to my Facebook page, and if you want to see it, I'll friend anyone who wants to see it... and you can see it on my timeline.  DRAT. 

It had the unit of Buffalo Soldiers in uniform on their beautiful horses... with their families riding behind them in parade attire.  (You can JUST see them in the above photo) and several other units.  The Ft. Leavenworth Hunt and General Washington (can you see him on the white heavy hunter in his tricorn in the middle?) always end the parade. 

I'll load it in a few minutes. 

It has dropped from 57 to 44 F in the last 3 hours... and we are going down to the 20's tonight. 

I have just done all the waterers, and I hear Keith coming back from the grocery store through the gate right now.  It's good to be inside where it's warm! 

Thanks to all your loved ones who are veterans, or veterans man or woman reading this post... we value your service and thank you so much for doing it for your country, whether it be the USA, Canada, or any other. 

We couldn't do without you!

Peee. Essss.
(as the dog blogs say)

I tried to put the video on Facebook twice.  It failed each time with 10% to go.  Must be too long.
I'm sorry... it was really good and I really wanted you to see the Buffalo Soldiers.  I'm sorry about that!