ALWAYS REMEMBERED: A float honouring Vietnam War veterans was among those participating in the parade. — Photo by Samuel Aubrey
AUSTIN, Texas: The annual Veterans Day is taken seriously in the United States, including in the state of Texas where the communities celebrated veterans with parades, speeches and
other patriotic salutes last Sunday.
It was a day when Americans celebrated pride of country and love of freedom, with a parade honouring the men and women who paid for those freedoms through service.
In the Texas state capital of Austin, thousands lined the streets downtown for the 59th annual Veterans Day Parade.
It was like a mini carnival as groups of marching bands, big bikers, colourful floats, clowns and even Santa Claus accompanied decorated veterans as they made their way from the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge up to the Capitol where a ceremony was held.
Veterans Day is a public holiday in the United States every Nov 11 – the official date of the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I in 1918.
Other communities also celebrated over the weekend.
The Houston Salutes American Heroes celebration was held on Sunday, while San Antonio and El Paso held parades on Saturday.
Flags and honour guards were part of Abilene’s parade and celebration, also on Saturday.
Federal government offices were closed on Monday for Veterans Day and some cities in Texas planned Veterans Day ceremonies on that day including a parade in downtown Dallas.