Skip and Gail Merry typified watchers at Durango’s annual Veterans Day Parade, held on an unusually warm fall day.
The Merrys comfortably sat in front of one of the many Main Avenue shops, patiently awaiting the spectacle. They came to pay their respects and to watch their grandson, who was performing with the Miller Middle School marching band. The nice weather was a bonus.
“It’s a nice day to remember the veterans,” Skip Merry said.
Hundreds lined Main Avenue sidewalks to pay homage to those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Durango’s annual parade Monday morning brought a crowd of patriotic spectators who enjoyed the bright, sunny weather.
Several Main Avenue venues prepared for the day by adorning their shops with flags and other assortments of red, white and blue decorations.
For Nate Tanguay, who served in Korea and China, the parade was a fun way to get out of the house and support the parade participants, he said.
Having moved to the area from Connecticut two weeks ago, he looks forward to joining the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, or VFW, an organization in which he’s a lifelong member.
If he had arrived sooner, he would have joined the parade, he said.
Tanguay is a retired police officer who plans on starting a private-investigator business in the area.
Antonio Aguilar, a Vietnam War-era Army veteran, traveled from Aztec to witness the parade.
It’s an emotional experience, and he was there to support the other vets, he said.
Brandon and Callie Waddell sat with their children and pet Rottweiler in front of Jean-Pierre Bakery. The family welcomed home a military friend, Cody Hawman, at Durango-La Plata County Airport on Sunday. Hawman arrived in time for the parade, and the Waddells were in attendance. Additionally, they were there to remember their nephew who died in a motorcycle accident while being stationed in Gulfport, Miss.
Among those in attendance were shop owners, service personnel, vets sporting their embroidered military ballcaps, families with their pets and out-of-towners with SLR cameras in hand.
The local chapter of the Blue Star Mothers organization were among the festive marchers. The moms held photographs of active overseas and deceased military personnel. Vicky Hawman, Cody Hawman’s mother, was among the group of moms, proudly holding a photo of her son.
A red Budweiser truck followed the mothers with a decorative sign that read: “We proudly salute all veterans.”
Antique car owners drew some appreciative aahs, as many local enthusiasts rode in the parade with American flag banners placed on the outside of their vehicles. A chocolate-brown Buick carried a World War II veteran in the passenger seat.
The Al Kaly Shriners of Southern Colorado were unique participants. With their recognizable fezzes, the men drove in a synchronized circle in their early 20th-century “Tin Lizzies.”
Local motorcyclists also showed their patriotism by putting small flags on their Harley-Davidsons.
Bagpipers dressed in green plaid kilts were among the musical entertainment. The Durango High School and Miller Middle School marching bands also provided tunes.
A local chapter of the Girl Scouts of America was in attendance showing patriotism and holding decorative handmade signs in honor of the vets. They were shortly followed by a local Boy Scouts of America troop.
Toward the end of the parade, the La Plata-Archuleta Cattlemen’s Association rode alongside the La Plata County Cowbelles. A festive sign placed on the back of their truck read: “Eat Beef.”
After the parade, as residents scattered, old-time war stories were exchanged among the chatter. Politics were discussed and children were unleashed at Buckley Park to run around and be free.
vguthrie@durangoherald.com
