City of Columbia, Residents Honor Veterans Through Parade

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — At 11:00 o’clock Monday morning, downtown Columbia streets were blocked off and Military vehicles took to the roadways to honor those who fought to make these streets safe. 

‘Freedom is not a free thing, it’s something that has always been fought for,” says Robert Green, Veteran, Desert Storm era – 2001. 

Military veterans past and present along with residents of all ages turned out to show their respect. 

Crandall Sims reporting, “Veteran’s Day falls on November 11th, because on that day in 1918 fighting between the allied nations and Germany stopped. It ceased on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Only between 1968-1975 was the day celebrated differently. During those years, Congress moved it to the fourth Monday in October to give government employees a long weekend. President Gerald Ford changed it back in 1975.”

Back on the parade route, one veteran reminded us that the military’s service goes further than war zones. 

“People need to see what America does for the world. They see that we’re involved in wars. But, what they don’t see is the humanitarianism affect that we have around the world. We’re involved even now in the Philippines as they are going through their disaster,” says Terry Smith, Veteran – U.S. Navy, 12 years. 

And then, there are the lives our military service members help shape here at home. 

“They serve our country and they protect us,” says Max Burg, attended parade

“I’m proud to be a American,” says Clarke Lawrence, attended parade

“They saved me and it’s so cool that these men are in my family,” says Rylan Cunningham, attended parade