St. Louis Hosts the Nation’s First Large Welcome-Home Parade for Iraq War Veterans
- Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:24pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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(The Blaze/AP) — Thousands of people lining downtown streets cheered wildly as veterans, some wiping away tears, marched through St. Louis on Saturday during the nation’s first big welcome-home parade for Iraq War veterans.
Several hundred veterans, many dressed in camouflage, walked alongside military vehicles, marching bands and even the Budweiser Clydesdales. People in the crowd held signs reading “Welcome Home” and “God Bless Our Troops,” and fire trucks with aerial ladders hoisted three huge American flags along the route.
“It’s not necessarily overdue. It’s just the right thing,” said Maj. Rich Radford, who became a symbol of the event thanks to a photo of his young daughter taking his hand while welcoming him home from his second tour in Iraq in 2010.
Since the war ended, there has been little fanfare for returning veterans aside from gatherings at airports and military bases – no ticker-tape parades or large public celebrations – so two friends from St. Louis decided to change that.
They sought donations, launched a Facebook page, met with the mayor and mapped a route in a grass-roots effort that raised about $35,000. More than half came from Anheuser-Busch and the Mayflower moving company, which both have St. Louis ties.
On Saturday, the work paid off – and the biggest cheers clearly were for the veterans. People standing along the route waved small American flags and wildly cheered as groups of troops walked by, with some veterans wiping away tears as they acknowledged the support.
Gayla Gibson, a 38-year-old Air Force master sergeant, was proud that her hometown was the first to honor Iraq War veterans. Gibson spent four months there in 2003 working as a medical technician.
“We saw some horrible things,” she said. “Amputations. Broken bones. Severe burns from IEDSs.”
Gibson said she was moved by the turnout and the patriotic fervor.
“I think it’s great when people come out to support those who gave their lives and put their lives on the line for this country,” she added.
Radford, a 23-year Army veteran, served two tours in Iraq totaling about 25 months, never at ease.
“The Iraqis didn’t like us, didn’t want us in their country. They would sellout our positions, our missions. That invited danger every day,” he said.
When he came back from his second tour, he said his then-6-year-old daughter Aimee reached up and grabbed his hand, saying simply: “I missed you, daddy.” Radford’s sister caught the moment with her camera, and that image now graces T-shirts and posters for the parade.
With 91,000 troops still fighting in Afghanistan, many of those veterans could be redeployed – suggesting to some that it’s premature to celebrate their homecoming. In New York, for example, Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said there would be no city parade for Iraq War veterans in the foreseeable future because of objections voiced by military officials.
But others wanted to hold a large, public event to say thanks. While the parade in St. Louis was held to mark the end of the Iraq War, all military personnel involved in post-Sept. 11 conflicts were welcomed to take part, organizers said.
“It struck me that there was this debate going on as to whether there should or shouldn’t be a parade,” Tom Appelbaum, one of the organizers, said ahead of the event. “Instead of waiting around for somebody somewhere to say, `Yes, let’s have a parade,’ we said, `Let’s just do it.’”
KSDK reports that the tribute began at 9:11 p.m. Friday when volunteers read the names of 6, 502 men and women at Soldier’s Memorial who died from injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan. The reading lasted through Saturday morning.
CBS News reports on the parade:
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Comments (69)
flatbroke
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:32pmbeing i am from St. Louis, and proud of what the city has done here for the troops, at least in this instance. thank you so much marines, army, airforce, navy, and the Lou.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 10:17amGod bless them, all.
Report Post »db321
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 12:43pmThank You St. Louis – for standing up for what is right about America and for honoring America’s Best that served in Iraq and Afghanistan. God Bless them all and a special God Bless to the families of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Report Post »bboop1934
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:22pmAmen…bless those fellows who got this done! Bless our troops!
Report Post »lodgerat
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:20pmAn estimated 120,000 lined the parade route 85 floats over 600 motorcyles and a massive veterans fair at union station. I was proud to be there. I was across from union station and the majority of people around me were veterans. Hey flatbroke I think I saw you there…lol :o)
Report Post »B4REALITY
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:14pmThank you St. Louis for stepping up!!! I am so proud of you and all those solders!
God Bless the United States today and every day!
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 5:38amAmen!!!
I hope there is more.
If only the country did it for the Viet Nam Vets, I think this country would be alot better off.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 9:02amLooky, Looky, Looky, Mayor Bloomberg, this is how it is done.
What was the harm? You didn’t want to pi$$ off the OWS crowd or CAIR?
General Dempsey who came out against the NYC parade is a political appointee. To the average American his opinion doesn’t count because until he retires we don;t have any ideal if he is being honest.
Report Post »garbagecanlogic
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:00pmHooorah for St. Louie. The troops can decide if they are done with the job and ready to come home. They have the final call on when the mission is comlete.
The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
Report Post »The U.N. Out Of The U.S.
Mil Mom
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:49pmI agree, NOW IF WE COULD JUST KEEP THEIR FUNDING, SO THEY COULD DO SO *AND* GET RID OF PANETTA AND THE CHICKEN IN CHIEF (CIC) SO THEY COULD ACTUALLY WIN THE WAR AND NOT HAVE LOST SO MANY AND SO MUCH IN VAIN!
Report Post »(Agree totally: US out of UN
UN out of US) and do away with AGENDA 21!
ShawnB
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 12:30amHell yea US needs to be out of the UN
Report Post »Virginia Joe
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 6:55amI second that! The UN has long out lived it’s original intent.
It’s no better that the old League Of Nations – with proved to be impudent !
Report Post »oneillptgd
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:54pmFrom St. Louis with love honor and respect for your service to our Western way of life. Our service men and women who gave; Thanks! The future is brighter because of you.
Report Post »kentuckypatriot
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:50pmIt just shows how proud us midwesterners / southerners are. We are what America is. ( sorry friends on both coasts! )
Report Post »asmurff
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:28pmPerhaps Bloomberg has taken to much Islamic blood money to host a ticker-tape parade! NYC lose, thank you St Louis. Thank you Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen!!
Report Post »zoro51
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:11pmBOUT F ING DAMN TIME the DAMN MUSLUM LOVING SOCIALIST WANNA BEA PRESIDENT would NEVER really welcome back the trooops hes ANTI AMERICAN he HATES america n desires to run it into the ground I SAY WELCOME BACK N THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR DUTY! you are welcomed loved honored n a BLESSING to AMERICA. EVITA OBAMA US NOT wiht his tax n speeches.. hes theeeeeeeee most crappiest president EVER
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:47pmI first read about this in my newspaper. What a fantastic job – putting together this Parade for our Military! Kudos and Huzzahs!!!
Report Post »klynch
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:27pmAwesome job St. Louis!!
Report Post »Bronco II
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:17pmI was logged in but don’t know what happend.What I said was WELCOME HOME AND THANK YOU.May GOD BLESS you and your families.And when they come home in Fl near me I will be there and a stern warning to any anti-war people keep your mouths shut meaning with words and spit it won’t be tolerated.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:27pmAMEN Bronco WELL SAID
Report Post »God Bless our Troops
and Thank You to St Louis for honoring them!!!!
One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:59pm“Since the war ended, there has been little fanfare for returning veterans aside from gatherings at airports and military bases – no ticker-tape parades or large public celebrations – so two friends from St. Louis decided to change that.”
That’s because the Obama military brass are stopping them from having a proper welcome home of sorts.
They emphatically told Bloomberg NO PARADE in NYC and frankly I’m not so sure a parade is what is in order after Iraq. I was behind the troops and the war from start right up until Obama’s tail runner campaign aided exit, but it wasn’t exactly ended divisively (no fault of the gallant troops of course) but the weak kneed politicians who didn’t let them scorch that place in a week and be done with it and leave like should have been done.
All that blood and treasure and those Animals over 10 years old hate our guts even more. Let am all kill each others at will and left alone to their own devices and kept out of the US they’d die off soon enough on their own. Arm them lightly to accelerate the process frankly.
Report Post »One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:03pmLink to support the Bloomberg claim of Military Brass halting parades: http://apne.ws/yvrjPs
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 4:48amWhy didn’t that stop St Louis?
Report Post »smorningstar
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:53pmWELCOME HOME!!! We are all happy to have you back!
Report Post »ronaldreaganthegreat
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:52pmWelcome home heroes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Obamamao, why dont you throw a parade for them? Oh yeah, my bad, you despise them.
Report Post »PAR
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:52pmThank you St. Louis. Let’s hope this catches on and spreads, even if Mayor Bloomberg said “no parades in NYC”. I guess he has to keep the streets clear for his OWS friends.
Report Post »arvee
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:42pmWelcome Home HEROS
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:40pmFinally someone had the guts to show some appreciation to our HEROES .
Report Post »& you’ll never see that in CA NY OR WA …
MetalPatriot
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:53pmI’m in CA & you’re 100% right on that one. Feinstein & Boxer have disdain for our military. However, there’s an awful lot of us civilians who are appreciative & tell “the boys” when we see them. Do this gently though…some haven’t had time to decompress.
“With 91,000 troops still fighting in Afghanistan, many of those veterans could be redeployed – suggesting to some that it’s premature to celebrate their homecoming. In New York, for example, Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said there would be no city parade for Iraq War veterans in the foreseeable future because of objections voiced by military officials.”
My first instinct would’ve been, “Commie Bloomberg”. But, there could be something to this statement.
Any thoughts?
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 12:07am@Metalpatriot
re : With 91,000 troops still fighting in Afghanistan, many of those veterans could be redeployed – suggesting to some that it’s premature to celebrate their homecoming. In New York, for example, Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said there would be no city parade for Iraq War veterans in the foreseeable future because of objections voiced by military officials.”
My first instinct would’ve been, “Commie Bloomberg”. But, there could be something to this statement.
Any thoughts
Report Post »****
Actually, your first thoughts were mine, BUT IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR?
REALLY, THOUGH, they’ve spent all their city clean up budget, and security budget, on ows and their constant parades & destruction & filth! Got to start saving for their “American Spring” that soros et al are putting together! Besides, big sis already has the troops labeled as terrorist wannabe‘s and it wouldn’t do for him to honor them and probably have someone film it!
sle
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:39pmthank you St Louis!! meanwhile you have that pathetic mayor of new york; no parade or thanks to our troops but welcomes the slim occupiers to crap, fornicate, and sell drugs in his parks! says it all about new york and their mayor. vets, if at all possible, i wouldn’t spend a dime in that pig sty new york.
Report Post »patsun5
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:35pmThis needs to go viral! WHat a WONDERFUL thing for these people to do! Great job to the military and they deserve all the honors they can get!
Report Post »Bet we dont see it on lame stream media.
Marine Recon Dad
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:07pm‘sniff’
Awesome!
Report Post »Roni
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:35pmWhat a heart warming story, and a moving tribute to our returning troops! Thanks to the people of St. Louis!
This story shows how good the American people are. Americans appreciate, respect, and honor our troops; -we acknowledge their sacrifices, their service to us, and their commitment to the country we all share. They are deserving of a parade, but not just in St. Louis, they deserve a national ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heros, in New York City. Maybe our next President will honor them in the grand manner they deserve.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:33pmwe hope to hear of any of these planned out in the pro-American Great Plains, all of us would attend proudly.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:32pmLet us bring ALL of our troops home. Screw the world; let them fend for themselves. Determine WHO our friends are and be supportive. Keep a close eye on the activities of all others. If it is warranted, bomb an enemy back to pre- stoneage technology.
Report Post »The money saved can be used to take care of our veterans.
PatriotNAmerica
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:11pmSo you are not ready for another War? Well you better take a look at this..
http://youtu.be/IheJ2Rohz1c
I assure you that you are going to be shocked when you hear this…
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 9:11amThat is a big 10-4 Stoic one. I completely agree.
We should not a have assisted Great Britian in WWII. We could have fought off the NAZIs when the tried to cross the Rio Grand or Saint Lawrence Sea way.
the British only helped us with setting up the OSS, the predecessor to the CIA, & the Manhattan project among other things. Useless allies indeedy.
I bet if we were facing a solidly Islamic fundamentalist Middle East & Eurabia we would win hands down. Just saying
Report Post »jungle J
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:19pmvery nice but, will you help them make it through life…not!
Report Post »PAR
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:44pmWow, aren’t you Mr//Ms. positive. Don’t project your miserable attitude on others. Search your own conscience.
Report Post »Master_and_Commander
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:42pmEVERY SINGLE CITY SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THESE. Facebook page anyone?
Report Post »PeppermintCrush
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:33pmAmen. Welcome Home, and God Bless you for your unselfish service! Thank You United States Military Men and Women! Heroes all.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:51pmAMEN! Thank you for saying it so well.
Report Post »Smug
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:11pmWell said, Welcome Home and Thank You!… Nicely done St. Louis…….MSSMUG
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