Memorial Day Parade Set for May 25

By Jim Trainor, Parade Chairman

On Monday, May 25, the American Legion Daniel M. O’Connell Post #272 will host its 108th Memorial Day Parade. The day will commence with a Memorial Mass at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Francis de Sales Church. At the conclusion of the services, a ceremony will be held at the Four Chaplains monument outside the church. At about 11:30 a.m., the parade will proceed to Beach 121st Street for a ceremony at 12 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Circle, upon the conclusion of this ceremony, the parade will march up to the boardwalk at Beach 120th and continue along the boardwalk to the Doughboy and Doughgirl monuments at Veterans Memorial Plaza at Beach 94th Street for a concluding ceremony. Following this ceremony, the American Legion and guests will retire to the Knights of Columbus on Beach 90th Street for refreshments and hot dogs.

All Veterans, whether a member or not of the American Legion or any other Veteran organization, are encouraged to march; all we ask is that you wear your organization’s cap or service hat.

Memorial Day is the most solemn of days for Veterans as we remember the brave men and women who made the supreme sacrifice to defend and preserve freedom around the world. We are well aware the Memorial Day weekend has become the official opening of the “summer season” and many people are busy attending and hosting their BBQs. We as Legionnaires do not march for ourselves but for those who gave their all for a grateful nation; we would be grateful for a robust turnout.

I would like to give special thanks to the Knights of Columbus and the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Division 21, Graybeards, and St Francis de Sales for their support and participation in this parade.

We cordially invite you to join us on this day of remembrance as we, for the 108th year in a row, honor our fallen comrades.

(Note: This year’s parade and ceremonies will be dedicated to the late Mike Honan, a U.S. Navy veteran, who presided over the ceremonies for many years. Honan died on January 3. He will be remembered and missed.)

 Photos by Katie McFadden.