On the morning of Saturday, November 2, the City of Hammond hosted its 11th annual Veteran Appreciation Day parade and ceremony. The parade assembled at the corner of Olcott Avenue and 173rd Street in Hammond before making its way to Hessville Park for the post-parade ceremony. Hammond residents lined both sides of 173rd Street and cheered as the parade participants waved and threw candy for all to enjoy.
Mayor of Hammond Thomas McDermott Jr., a Navy veteran himself, is proud of Hammond’s Veteran Appreciation Day parade and ceremony and enjoys seeing it grow in popularity.
“Police officers, teachers, firefighters, and veterans are the building blocks of any community,” McDermott said. “Our communities do a good job of recognizing the work that police, teachers and firefighters do, but our vets are often overlooked. To rectify this, we decided about 11 years ago to hold this special parade right before Veterans Day and recognize all of the Region’s veterans. Hammond is one of the few cities in Indiana that does a parade like this. It’s a great reminder for everyone to respect our veterans and to thank them for the sacrifices they made. Every veteran has sacrificed something, and we need to recognize them for that. We had beautiful weather today and drew an even bigger crowd than we did last year.”
Over 40 organizations from throughout Hammond and the Region participated in the parade including United States Army recruiting, Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Lake County Sheriff's Department, and American Legion Posts 168 and 232. Additional participants included Hammond Central High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), Secure Dental Hammond, Purdue University Northwest, Diamond Pet Services, Northwest Indiana Jeepers, and Calumet Breweries Inc. The United States Air Force Civil Air Patrol Thunder Squadron also did several flyovers above the parade, leaving colorful smoke in their wake.
Private First Class Glenn Daniels, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, attends the Veteran Appreciation Day parade and ceremony to demonstrate his solidarity with his fellow veterans.
“I hope all of the veterans leave the parade feeling that they’ve been properly thanked for their service,” Daniels said. “When I first came home from the war, we were condemned by the public, but times have changed and I’m glad to see things are better now. I’ve attended the parade several times before this year. I want to make sure I support my fellow veterans as much as possible because I know what it’s like and what they’re going through. I want to show them that I’m here for them.”
Once the parade reached Hessville Park, participants and spectators alike gathered for the post-parade ceremony in front of the park’s veteran memorial. The ceremony opened with a stirring rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by singer Gloria Rivera.
During his remarks, McDermott acknowledged the 30 active-duty service members and veterans on the Hammond police force. Spencer Lemmons, a Hammond police officer and Army veteran, thanked the attendees for coming and reflected on his time in the military and what it means to be a veteran. The ceremony concluded as the Hammond Central High School JROTC members solemnly withdrew the colors.
Homer Cobb Jr., pastor at Ministry of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and one of the speakers at the post-parade ceremony, was a private first class in the Air Force, serving from 1965 to 1969. He appreciates the way that the Veteran Appreciation Day parade and ceremony brings the Hammond community together.
“I thank God for everybody who has come out to memorialize our veterans today,” Cobb said. “This is a great event because it reminds us of those who have sacrificed for this city and this country to be where they are today. As the saying goes, ‘Freedom is not free.' Somebody has to pay the price for it, and we need to celebrate them for that, so here we are. I am glad to see that African-Americans are increasingly receiving more recognition for the role that we've played in the military over the years. People have begun learning about all-African-American units like the Montford Point Marines and the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, and I hope they continue to do so. I consider Hammond to be a very diverse city, and when the opportunity for us to come together at a peaceful event presents itself, I believe we should do so.”
You can stay up-to-date on the City of Hammond’s announcements and upcoming events by visiting gohammond.com.
