Published: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 6:30 PM
A slate of events in Mobile and Baldwin counties were held Thursday to celebrate and honor military veterans.
An annual parade hosted by the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission wove through downtown, starting at 10 a.m., as spectators cheered the military groups and marching bands riding past.
“I like seeing everyone out, wearing their military uniforms,” said Army Reservist Larry Tait, who watched the parade on Government Street. “It makes me feel proud.”
When Patriot of the Year and Emmy Award-winning actress Ann-Margret drove past, the crowd erupted, screaming, “We love you Ann-Margret!”
Veteran of the Year retired Col. Pat Downing, whose military career spanned nearly 40 years, was honored along with Ann-Margret at the commission’s luncheon.
“This year’s Veteran of the Year, the extraordinary Colonel Patrick Downing, exemplifies the finest of the military,” said Dr. Barry Booth, who helped present Downing with a plaque. “Colonel Downing personifies confidence, loyalty and trust. He did so with his troops, and he does so today with his every endeavor.”
The Murphy High School marching band performed alongside hundreds of local fourth-graders in a parade of flags at the Aircraft Pavilion at Battleship Memorial Park later Thursday afternoon. The Mobile Pops concluded the day of celebration with a concert at the pavilion.
In Bay Minette, the day’s festivities began with a breakfast at the Civic Center. Later in the morning, pockets of families dotted the route as a parade made its way through downtown.
Following the parade, a crowd converged around the Eternal Flame on Courthouse Square for a ceremony that included several singers and the playing of taps.
Bay Minette Mayor Jamie Tillery offered an emotional thank you to those who have served in the nation’s armed forces. Through the sacrifices of America’s young men and women in uniform, she said, countries that have never known anything but fear are now learning of the ideals of democracy.
“It’s ordinary people that did extraordinary things for you and me,” Tillery said. “Thank you for yesterday and tomorrow.”
In Daphne, a crowd of more than 150 gathered outside City Hall for a Veterans Day celebration, where U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, delivered the keynote address.
At the end of the event, Sessions presented the Air Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal to Baldwin County resident Air Force Lt. Col. Douglas G. Goodlin, for his conduct during 20 aerial combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2009 to 2010 and other actions.
(Staff Reporters Kim Lanier and Russ Henderson contributed to this report.)?
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