Mission:
World War II Veterans to Washington, D.C.
Photo Gallery
October 1, 2007 |
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| On the morning of
Monday, October 1, 2007, 37 World War II Veterans from Miami
County departed from the American Legion Post 184 at 8:30 AM,
accompanied by 16 personal care-givers and 13 members of the
committee. A 20-person committee organized the trip and raised
$18,000 in private contributions so that the three-day event
would be absolutely free for the vets.
The send-off ceremony was emceed
by City of Piqua Public Works Director Tom Zechman and included
comments of welcome by Mayor Tom Hudson, along with additional
words from committee chairman Glenn Devers and Father Rob
Baldwin of St. James Episcopal Church. The Piqua High School
Marching Band opened the 15 minute program with the playing of
the National Anthem and closed the ceremony with a second
patriotic number. The Piqua Fire Department Honor Guard
presented the flag as it was taken from their hands and hoisted
into the air by raising the ladder on PFD’s ladder truck,
while the band played. Both the police and fire departments were
joined by other local military color guards as the bus drove off
to the nation’s capital.
The vets will visit the WW II
Memorial, the Marine’s War Memorial (Iwo Jima) and place a
wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Tuesday, and then
return to Piqua on Wednesday.
The World War II Veterans from
Miami County included representatives from each branch of the
service. The group was comprised of 36 men and one woman.
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| To see a larger photo, click on
one of the photos below: |
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| Members
of the Piqua Fire Department Honor Guard Before the Ceremony |
Tom
Zechman Welcomes the Crowd |
Current
Armed Forces Personnel Were on Hand to Pay Tribute to the WW II
Veterans |
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| Beginning
of Ceremony |
A
Thank You Sign |
Piqua
Fire Department Honor Guard Presents the Flag |
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| The
National Anthem Being Played |
"Old
Glory" Rises Above the Crowd -
(The Piqua High School Band
Can Be Seen at the Right) |
Mayor
Hudson Leads the Pledge of Allegiance |
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| Pledge
of Allegiance |
Other
Veterans and Fire & Police Department Personnel Lined Up
Along Downing Street During the Ceremony |
Fire
Department Personnel |
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| Some
of the Veterans Being Honored |
Mayor
Tom Hudson Thanks the Veterans |
Committee
Chairperson Glenn Devers Speaks to the Crowd |
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| Father
Rob Baldwin of St. James Episcopal Church Expresses Thanks to
the Veterans |
Thank
You Veterans! |
Some
of the Crowd on Hand |
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| Lined
Up Along Downing Street to Salute the Veterans |
Lined
Up Along Water Street to Pay Tribute to the Veterans |
Lined
Up Along Downing Street to Salute the Veterans |
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| Lined
Up Along Downing Street to Salute the Veterans |
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Lined
Up Along Water Street to Pay Tribute to the Veterans |
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| Veterans
are Saluted as Their Bus Rolls Out |
Flag
Flies from the
Ladder Truck in Honor of the
WW II Veterans |
Veterans
are Saluted as Their Bus Rolls Out |
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