By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Veterans Day is Monday, November 12th and there will be a celebration of our American veterans all day in Alabama’s largest city, Birmingham.
The Veterans Day events are organized and hosted by the National Veterans Day in Birmingham a non-profit organization that was formed in 1945. Birmingham’s National Veterans Day event is the oldest and largest Veterans Day celebration in the country. The President of the Group is Jim Holt.
National Veterans Day in Birmingham honors and salutes those men and women who have served their country as members of the armed services as well as those currently wearing the uniform of the active, reserve, and National Guard forces.
Events include a parade, a dinner honoring the National Veterans Award recipient, a World Peace Luncheon, and a Memorial Service.
The Veterans Day Parade will start at 1:30 pm Monday.
The parade will start at the intersection of Eighth Avenue North and 19th Street. The parade will proceed South on 19th Street to Fifth Avenue North. The parade will then turn East onto Fifth Avenue and will down Fifth Avenue to 22nd Street. The parade will go South on 22nd Street to Second Avenue North. The parade will then go West on Second Avenue to 18th Street. The parade will then follow 18th Street North to Sixth Avenue North.
Every Veterans Days a distinguished veteran receives the National Veterans Award for their service on behalf of veterans and veterans’ causes. The recipient of the National Veterans Award for 2012 is Colonel George Everette “Bud” Day, USAF Retired.
The parade and event was started in the 1940s by Raymond Weeks.
In other notable veteran news: Original Tuskegee Airman, Retired Lt. Colonel Herbert Carter, died Thursday. Lt. Colonel Carter was one of the 33 original Tuskegee Airmen. He flew 77 missions in the European Theater during World War II as a member of the 99th Pursuit Squadron. The 99th Pursuit squadron was the first all-Black fighter squadron in American history. The 99th Pursuit Squadron would later be joined in Europe by the 100th, 301st, and 302nd squadrons to form the All-Black 332nd fighter wing. All of the pilots received their flight training in Tuskegee, AL. Lt. Col. Carter was 93.
To learn more about National Veterans Day in Birmingham: http://www.nationalveteransday.org/
