St. Joseph honors veterans with parade

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Local organizations and community members witnessed the Joint Veterans Committee of Greater St. Joseph's annual Veterans Day Parade Tuesday morning.

The parade started at 9:30 a.m. and made its way down Frederick Avenue, ending at City Hall.

JROTC units and school bands from Benton, Central and Lafayette high schools played a big part while marching in the parade.

The North and South VFW units from the American Legion, the Marine Corps League, the Corvette Club, the Northwest Missouri Street Rods, along with other veterans and law enforcement, were in attendance.

Paul Gatewood, chairman of the Joint Veterans Committee, served in the United States Marine Corps from 1986 until 1990.

Gatewood said it's important to celebrate Veterans Day to recognize all those who served the country.

"Those people did so much with so little to sacrifice their time and sometimes lives to allow us to have the freedom, freedom of speech, freedom to, you know, roam around just everything they've done for us," he said. "Then the newer generation is doing the same thing. They're upholding it."

Gatewood said his favorite part is seeing children participate in the parade.

"Those are potential future members of the armed forces. So we really like to come out and support them. So although they're supporting us, we're supporting them right back," he said.

Gatewood said, to him, Veterans Day is a chance to thank other veterans around him.

"You know, whatever I can do, if I can help them, or just a simple thank you for serving. That's what Veterans Day means to me," he said.