Patriotic parade honors veterans of all wars

Flag-waving groups of students alternated with patriotic floats from several organizations as Hannibal’s Veterans Day parade traveled down Broadway Saturday afternoon.
At Central Park, between Fourth and Fifth streets, the parade paused for brief ceremonies. Flags of several heights contrasted with the brilliant blue sky above Central Park, where the crowd paused to hear the National Anthem sung by State Rep. Rachel Bringer. Another flag was flying high above Broadway at Fifth Street, displayed on the Hannibal Fire Department’s snorkel truck.
From the balcony of the Elks Lodge at 411 Broadway, Ralph Brinkley Jr., commander of Emmette J. Shields American Legion Post No. 55, led in a moment of silence to honor veterans of all wars. Before the parade resumed, the Legion Riders motorcycle club rang their memorial bell.
The parade then continued down Broadway to Main Street, where it went north to the end of the street.
Parade watchers included people of all ages, with the warm Indian Summer day bringing out the crowd. Small flags were waved by tiny tots as well as veterans’ widows. Several family groups included more than two generations, as they were honoring both retired veterans and those currently serving in or awaiting deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan.
One multi-generation family accompanied Freda Brown of Hannibal, whose father, husband and two brothers were all veterans. Now her grandson, U.S. Army Capt. John Miller, is stationed in California, after completing two deployments in Iraq. His wife, Armella, and children, Oren and Omar, are all in California with him, but several other family members were with Freda at the parade.
“We are all patriotic and proud to be an American,” Freda said. “We learned that from my father years ago.” Her father, Fred Bledsoe, was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War I.
Her late husband, Les Brown, served with the U.S. Air Force in both World War II and Korea. Freda’s brother, Leo Bledsoe of Lees Summit, is a veteran of the Korean War, and her late brother, Charley Bledsoe, was a veteran of World War II.
At the parade, Freda’s family included her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Brian Miller of Hannibal, and their daughter, Sarah Miller, along with Freda’s young great-grandchildren, Abby, Quentin, Gabriel and Alexander Miller. The children’s parents are Eric and Kelly Miller of Philadelphia, Mo.
The children were waving flags during the parade. “We had flags that were passed out by some soldiers,” Freda explained. “And we taught them to put their hands over their hearts when the flag goes by.”
After the parade, she said her family always goes to parades and attends the service in the park, such as on Memorial Day.
The brief ceremonies during the Veterans Day parade were impressive and the crowd was very quiet and respectful,” Freda said, adding, “when you have people in the service, it means more to you.”
Another Veterans Day observance is planned at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the American Legion Hall on Highway MM. It will be hosted by American Legion Post 55, with the National Anthem sung by post member Jerry Richardson and the ceremonies led by Brinkley.