2013 Veterans Day Parade Colorado Springs

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The Military Vehicle Collectors of Colorado had the honorof transporting Veterans from all conflicts in the 2013 Colorado SpringsVeterans Day Parade. We provided a number of deuces for the transport and a fewsmaller vehicles for escort. The deuceshad magnetic signs on each door showing what conflict our Vets took part in. We pre-staged at the Veterans Home indowntown Co Springs, loaded up all the Vets and then repositioned the group toour starting point for the parade. Theolder Vets really enjoyed that ride. Most of the WWII and Korean Vets were using walkers or canes but theywere not going to be denied riding in our trucks during the parade. As you allknow deuces are not the easiest trucks to get aboard even for physically fitguys. We had many volunteers includingCadets from the Air Force Academy help these heroes up the ladders and getseated on troop seats many said they had sat on many years back. On guy attached to his oxygen bottle insistedon riding shotgun with me. I had thefirst Korean Vet truck. “Yugo” was hisname and it took about 5 minutes for me and two others to get him in thetruck. Stubborn guy but man was he happyin that seat. He had a small US flagthat he waived continuously for the duration of the parade. It was a great honor for the club to haulthese heroes in this way. It appearedthat it made the day and more for most of the older Vets. Also, hats off to the Co Springs communitywho showed great respect for these guys in the form of continuous and loud applauseas the column rolled by. Here are some pics and a link to a Youtube video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqgVldtCnhc

 

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More pics

 

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last group

 

[papabear]

Outstanding job!! Thanks for the pics.

 

[zout]

^^^^^ditto to what that fella said^^^^^ great job.

 

[steelandcanvas]

It is really quite an honor to be among these Vets, and give them a ride in their parade. I had a young man (78 years young) in a Class A Uniform, come up to me and say with a very snappy salute, "Airman First Class Rooks reporting for parade duty, Sir!" I returned his salute, and asked him if he would like to ride in or on of the trucks. He indicated in the back would be fine, and presented his Military ID Card to prove to me he was a Vet. I told him I didn't think there weren't very many posers out today, but appreciated seeing his ID anyway. I asked him to take his "assigned" place in the back of one of the Korean War trucks. He saluted me again, and quickly walked over to the truck to be assisted into the back. I am a Veteran also...but the Parade this year, and every other year is for them, I'm just the Driver.