The City of Leavenworth hosts annual Veterans Day parade
By: Zac Scott
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KQTV) -- Veterans from Missouri and Kansas gathered to celebrate Veterans Day at a longstanding tradition in Leavenworth.
The parade itself has been a staple in Leavenworth for 106 years, and is also known as one of the oldest Veterans Day observances in the nation and the largest parades west of the Mississippi.
"It's a nice tribute to all of our veterans, past, present," Army Veteran Don Studnicka said. "Our active duty folks all over the world to honor them and their sacrifices that they make for this country."
Studnicka retired in 1992 while stationed at Fort Leavenworth. Even though he lives in Lansing, Kansas, Studnika visits Leavenworth for its Veterans Day parade because of the way the community honors its veterans.
"The only thing I'd want to say to the people of Leavenworth is keep honoring our veterans and honoring them in the way that they have been doing," said Studnicka.
Infantry Veteran Tom Switzel is a consistent visitor to the Leavenworth Veterans Day Parade. Switzel said he had visited the last 50 parades in the hope of meeting new friends.
"I look for friends every year when I come down here and usually run into a few, and it's a good chance to meet up again and meet new people," said Switzel.
Leavenworth native and 33rd Armored Division Veteran Michael Lay has been attending the parade since 1964. Lay is proud to see that opinions about veterans have improved since the Vietnam era.
"I wish that when our soldiers came out of Vietnam, they were honored more, and they get more honor now than they did when they first came out of Vietnam, and that has changed," said Lay.
Kansas and Missouri veterans hope the traditional Veterans Day parade in Leavenworth continues for current veterans and those who will visit in the future.
