Before firing up the grill for a barbecue, much of the community lined the sides of the street to observe the Naperville Memorial Day Parade and the true meaning of the holiday.
Parade, patriotism, and pride
Presented by Naperville’s Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 and American Legion Post 43, the 97th annual parade kicked off Monday, June 26, at 10:30 am at the corner of West Street and Jackson Avenue. Featuring 53 entries – including 12 bands – the parade was hosted by NCTV17’s own Naperville Sports Weekly host Joe Kennedy.
“This parade is a cherished tradition in the city of Naperville because it honors our veterans and pays tribute to those who are no longer with us,” said Kennedy. “Today we gather to remember and honor our fallen heroes who defended our freedom, protected our values and ensured that the torches of liberty continue to shine brightly.”
As part of the parade, there was a 21-gun salute, moment of silence, playing of taps and laying of a wreath along the riverwalk. Many living veterans joined in on remembering their fallen brothers and sisters. Naperville has 114 veterans who died in war and their names were displayed on banners that members of the Boy Scouts carried during the parade.
Commander Wayne Fischer joined Kennedy as a special guest. Fischer was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War and continues to be a dedicated member of both the VFW and the American Legion.
Naperville Memorial Day Parade Marshal Craig Frier
U.S. Navy veteran Craig Frier was this year’s parade marshal. Frier was a naval lieutenant who served from 1967 through 1972. During that time, he worked on U.S. Navy destroyers in a number of roles: repair officer, damage control assistant, first lieutenant, operations officer, and chief engineer.
He was stationed in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. Frier hails from Naperville and graduated from Naperville Community High School. After his time in the service, he would go on to become the senior vice president at ServiceMaster Inc., a role he held for 27 years.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
