Today in Galesburg, those who served and fought for freedom were honored on Memorial Day with a parade and ceremony.
Galesburg VFW Quartermaster Mike Lummis and a number of other veterans read aloud the names of the 221 Knox County veterans who have passed away since April of last year.
Parade goers packed downtown streets to see floats, political candidates, a marching band and more go by.
Though a few rain drops could be felt toward the end of today’s festivities, mostly sunny skies shined down. There were approximately 50 entries in today’s hour long parade.
Galesburg native and U.S. Navy Veteran Ronald Henderson was among those who lined Main St. Henderson, who served aboard the USS Lexington in the 1950’s, tells WGIL that he attends events on the holiday as a celebration.
“I had two brothers in the service during the second World War, so, it’s just kind of a follow up of that,” Henderson says. “I have a grandson getting out of the Navy Thursday. It’s kind of a tradition.”
Today’s real celebration came in the form of honor and respect for those military men and women who died to protect our freedom.
Parade Grand Marshal Bob Spears showed a crowd at the Knox County Courthouse just how important the sacrifice of a veterans is.
“If you have ever known or have a veteran in your family would you please raise your hand?,” Spears asked those in attendance. “Everyone’s hands are raised. We’re here because of them. ”
Spears himself honored a very special veteran, his co-marshal Julie Maddox.
“She’s 98 years old, they call her ‘Rosie the Riveter,”‘ Spears explained. “She riveted B-17 bombers, lost hearing in her right ear, burnt the skin off of her forearms from the chemicals being used, but she kept on working.”
Maddox helped manufacture bombs in Burlington, Iowa. She plans to go to Washington D.C. with Honor Flight of Peoria later this year.
