Parade honors veterans on 11-11-11

It is a day off school, a government holiday, the start of a three-day weekend, a great opportunity go get an early start on your Thanksgiving shopping.

But it's more than that, of course.

Veterans Day is a day to say thank you to the men and women who sacrificed, sometimes giving their lives, so the rest of us could enjoy days off work and holiday meals with our families.

"We're out here to support the veterans," said Dennis Friday, who was one of thousands of locals who enjoyed the Veterans Day parade on Friday.

Folks began lining Fourth Street in downtown Las Vegas before 8 a.m., though the parade wouldn't start for two more hours.

Friday, 65, said he had lived here 17 years, but hadn't attended the parade before. He is a veteran, serving from 1966 to 1970, and his son is in his 13th year in the Air Force.

Friday said that 10 years into the war, it's as important as it ever was to show support for the men and women who have served in the military.

"When I see someone in uniform, I always go up and thank them," said his wife, Susan Friday, 65.

The Fridays said they came when a friend invited them.

The friend, Susan Johnson, wore her husband's old U.S. Army jacket to the parade. She said she began to attend a few years ago when he died.

As they spoke, the parade participants began to make their way down the street.

A band of loud motorcycles, Oscar Goodman, the boisterous former mayor of Las Vegas, a marching band, a few remaining survivors of the Pearl Harbor attacks, heavy military machinery, guys playing bagpipes, various ROTC groups, the Boy Scouts, and the Girl Scouts -- who were much louder than the Boy Scouts, by the way.

"Left. Left. Left, right left," the ROTC guys and girls chanted as they marched up the road.

One of several groups of Vietnam veterans passed by.

"Thank you for serving!" people yelled from the crowd, lined up two and three deep in some places along the parade route.

And, because this is Las Vegas, there was also a wedding going on at a chapel along the parade route at exactly 11:11 a.m.

The noise from the parade didn't seem to bother the wedding party, who went right on posing and snapping pictures.

The wedding didn't bother the parade-goers, either.

"I want my kids to grow up grateful," said Kimberly Sa, who stood with her two children and a family friend not far from the chapel.

She said kids aren't exposed to a whole lot about the military, or about war, that is appropriate for them. Bringing them to the parade seemed like the best way to teach them about what the veterans have done for them, and for everybody else.

"They don't know," she said. "Coming here, they get to see the real people who fight for them. And then they can feel real gratitude."

Contact reporter Richard Lake at rlake@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307.