Memorial Day Parades Pay Tribute to War Dead

By Kintura Williams

NEWBURGH – After a long week of wind, rain and thunderstorms, the weather cleared up just in time for the start of the City of Newburgh’s annual Memorial Day Parade Saturday morning.

Dark clouds covered the sky from the early morning hours until just before parade participants began their line up around 9am. The City of Newburgh holds the parade to honor and remember those that fought or died while serving in the armed forces. The city’s veteran population, along with active service men and women join the parade each year and spread pride throughout the community.

Starting on Valley Avenue, across from Newburgh Free Academy, the parade moved through side streets to West Street before it reached the starting point on Broadway. The sky opened up while City of Newburgh Police escorts blocked off traffic all the way down to Liberty Street.

Veterans from the Marines, Army, Navy and Coast Guard headed the parade on Harleys followed by Post 386 Catholic War Veterans, Grand Marshall Jonathan Jacobson and World War II Veterans. Newburgh Free Academy JROTC cadets marched in uniform ahead of Mayor Judy Kennedy, who waved and flashed a vibrant smile.

The sunshine revealed the perfect parade day, as city residents crowded onto Broadway finding seats to watch the parade. Many looked on from their apartment windows, others from lawn chairs placed on the busy sidewalks, while most stood huddled close to the curb.

Children sat cross-legged on the curbside, hung from tree branches, or sat hoisted up on shoulders waving as people threw candy from floats.

Newburgh Fire Department Pipes and Drums band—led by Joe Stankiewicz—has entertained the Memorial Day crowds with their bagpipes since 2013. The active and retired firemen played ahead of the National Pan Hellenic Council of the Hudson Valley, and the City of Newburgh Democratic Committee.

Newburgh youth like Horizons on the Hudson, Newburgh Youth Baseball, Newburgh Pumas Youth Soccer and the Newburgh Steelers Pop Warner Cheerleading and Football teams and others rounded out the end of the parade at Washington’s Headquarters.

Parade participants mingled together inside the gates, on the sidewalks and in the shops and restaurants lining Liberty Street, rehydrated with water provided by the Salvation Army. A little after 11am the crowds had dissipated and traffic was back to normal.

Later the Memorial Day Committee gathered at the Orange County Veterans Memorial on Liberty Street for the reading of the names of all deceased veterans since World War I.

The Memorial Day Parade Committee gathered again on Sunday morning to honor deceased veterans by visiting 17 cemeteries and monuments for wreath laying and services with Color Guards.

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