The parade Friday was great.....It was a homecoming for the veterans....I talked to several of the veterans and families after the parade at the Wall and vendor area and they were all amazed, as I was, at the gratitude that the spectators showed the veterans as they marched down the street. If I heard "Thank you" and "Welcome home" once I heard it hundreds of times from the crowded street. It was also a great get together before and after the parade for the different units that served in country and were support units for those fighting.
If you have not seen the real Wall and can not make the trip, you should make the trip to the 3/4 wall at the Grand Palace parking lot. The multitude of names will overwhelm you. It is a beautiful tribute to those that served and died, and is itself a great big "Thank You".
I was from a small town, Monett, when I came back and I did not see first hand the things that others in the bigger cities saw as far as the inapproprite treatment that some return soldiers saw. A small town greets their people with respect and gratitude I guess more than larger ciites. We are proud of our boys and show it.
Iraq and the returnees from this war are making a lot of people realize that they do need to welcome the Vietnam Vet back home, and it was obvious as the vets passed by the crowd Friday.
I have read some bad print on the Homecoming event....but every vet I talked to Friday was very appeciative to the respect that they were shown in their visit to our Ozarks. None had a bad word to say about the week they were spending in town for the event.
Keith ,I called and talked to Janice and she e-mailed an app. I filled it out as OMT and put 6 trikes, she said it was easier to down size than add at last minute.We will have to sign a release when we get there.We have to be at Celebration City's parking lot at 7:00Am. I was hoping for 6 trikes but we will be lucky if we have 4 . Thats you,Alan & Sue Bilyeu, Ivy (maybe) and Dick & I.
