'A great source of pride'
(Photo by Steve B. Brooks)

'A great source of pride'

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Among a group of fellow spectators standing along the intersection of Fourth and Ida streets in downtown Troy, N.Y., John Becker had a mission. During the entire Troy Flag Day Parade on June 11, Becker stood in the doorway of a residence while holding a large American flag.

He did so for close to three hours. And he did it for a reason. The flag belonged to his father, World War II Army veteran John Becker.

“I hold it for everyone who has served the flag of this country,” Becker said. “I do it for them, and I do it for my dad.”

Becker was one of between 20,000-30,000 people who showed up to watch the 49th annual edition of the parade. The oldest and longest running Flag Day parade in the country, it was founded in 1967 by a group of veterans fed up seeing the U.S. flag being burned during Vietnam War protests. They wanted to come up with a way to honor Old Glory and decided a parade dedicated to the symbol was the best way.

“It’s been a great source of pride,” said Flag Day Committee President Jerry Weaver, whose father was one of the parade’s founders. “Patriotism has waned over the last 10 years or so. We had a big swell back in 9/11, and 10 years previous to that we had another swell with the (Persian Gulf War). The parade keeps (patriotism) going.”

Putting on a parade the size of the Troy Flag Day Parade is no small feat. “We do a meeting immediately after the parade that’s a critique of the parade, and then we give everyone a break … for the summer,” Weaver said. “And then we start up again in the fall, usually in September. We usually meet sometimes bi-weekly, and after the first of the year we meet almost weekly.”

Weaver said one of the most important roles his committee has is fundraising. And that’s why the parade’s relationship with American Legion Post 1489 in nearby Wynantskill is so critical. For years the post has helped raise money for the parade.

Post 1489 has been involved with the parade for 10 years and this year donated thousands of dollars to support it. “We bend over backward to help them out,” Post 1489 Adjutant Tom Dennis said. “We do a dart league fundraiser. We do a golf outing fundraiser. We supply our building for them.”

Post 1489 Commander Joe Renehan said the post will continue to offer its assistance to the parade. “We’re willing to support them,” he said. “We support the flag (and) all veterans. We do anything we can. That is who we are.”

Weaver said the partnership with Post 1489 “has been great. We love the dart tournament. We have so much fun. For a one-day event we raised over $1,000. That’s fantastic. And they assist in other ways. They participate in our golf tournament. And usually anything else we’ve got going they’ll work with us.”

In addition to fundraising, the post also has previously provided veterans to appear on a float in the parade and already are looking to do it again in 2017. And last year, Dennis served as the parade’s grand marshal.

“It was a nice experience,” Dennis said. “A lot of people in the Patriot Guard are good friends of mine, and they’re the ones who led the parade. It was heart-warming.”

Dennis said events like the Flag Day Parade are important in keeping patriotism alive and educating new generations on the importance of the flag. “Maybe if we show people what the flag means and that we defended it, then maybe they wouldn’t desecrate it,” he said. “It’s showing the people what (the flag means). It’s the oldest and largest flag parade in the country. And we’re part of it.”

World War II veteran Josephine Smith, an Army police officer from 1943 to 1946, served as the grand marshal in this year’s parade. More than 50 units participated in the parade, including veterans and military groups, area marching bands and civic organizations. And members of the Patriot Guard – including some in their American Legion Riders vests – led off the parade.

“I think this parade means a lot to the city,” Becker said. “The feeling that you get when you see the flag go by – or when you see a veteran go by – there’s nothing like it. We couldn’t have the country we have or have what the flag represents without those guys.”