Long Beach Hosts Memorial Day Parade

The streets of Long Beach rumbled with the sounds of drummers playing military beats and bagpipers performing "The Marines' Hymn" as Vietnam veterans led the city's Memorial Day parade as a rainy morning gave way to sunny skies Monday.

The Vietnam vets, who served as the parade's grand marshals, waved to the applauding spectators who lined the parade route, from West Beech Street in the West End to City Hall at West Park Avenue, and they in turn waved the Stars and Stripes. This year, the event also served as a kickoff to the Long Beach Police Department's centennial celebration.

Among the young people who participated in Monday's parade were Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and students from Long Beach's various public and parochial schools, who marched alongside veterans, firefighters, police officers and members of more than 50 organizations around town, from the Lions Club to the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

After Peggy Costigan of the American Legion Auxiliary sang the National Anthem, Howard Kalachman, a Vietnam veteran and past commander at the Long Beach American Legion, was among the speakers at the post-parade ceremony outside City Hall who reminded parade-goers of the meaning of Memorial Day, imploring them to remember and honor the fallen military men and women who died in defense of America.