U.S. Veterans Plan South Beach Landing

MIAMI BEACH, FL — Saturday is Veterans Day, and if you happen to be looking up into the sky high above South Beach, you may get a glimpse of the high-flying, all veterans parachute team as they make their not-so subtle entrance into Lummus Park. The parachutists will cap off the largest Veterans Day parade in South Florida and the annual Miami Beach tribute to our nation's veterans that was to include a family picnic and military fly-overs.

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Veterans Day occurs on the 11th day of the 11th month, so the parade kicks off at the 11th minute of the 11th hour. For civilians, that's 11:11 a.m.

"During WW II, the beaches and hotels in the city of Miami Beach served as a home base for military troops," according to Miami Beach officials. "For over 50 years, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion organized this parade as a salute to the troops for all that they’ve sacrificed to defend our nation’s freedom. For the past nine years, the city of Miami Beach has continued this tradition."

The parade runs along Ocean Drive from 5 Street to 14 Street.

"Many South Beach hotels were used as housing for the troops that would march and exercise on the beach, golf club and streets on regulation drills," according to city officials. "The county causeway was renamed the MacArthur Causeway in honor of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. After the war, many of these veterans with 'sands in their shoes' made Miami Beach their permanent home."

The parade has grown over the years from about 50 people to now more than 2,000 and includes students, organizations, businesses, military groups and elected officials. Saturday's parade will feature floats, veteran and military groups, school marching bands, cars and pageant queens.

The program includes the Miami Beach Police and Fire Department Honor Guards’ presentation of the colors; a recital of the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem and a moment of silence in honor of our First World War Armistice Day tradition. There will be addresses by top-level military officials from Southern Command and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Other activities include a 21-gun salute from the Miami Beach Police Department Honor Guard as well as a performance by a "Taps" bugler.

"We give our thanks to the service provided by each of our veterans and the sacrifices that not only they have made, but those made by their families as well," observed Chief Operating Officer Jose Sanchez of the Miami Beach Medical Group, which is the official sponsor of the event for the fourth straight year.

T-Mobile will be sponsoring the elite parachute team. Additional partners include Coca-Cola: Exclusive Beverage of the City of Miami Beach, Atlantic Broadband, Swoop, Miami Beach Suncare, Clevelander South Beach, Sysco and Y-100.

Photo courtesy city of Miami Beach