Freeper Update: Armed Forces Parade, Torrance, CA

I stood behind the baracade next to a Vietnam Vet, a Marine who was crying between shouts of "God Bless You!", as young soldiers paraded by. Similar shouts of Thank You were heard all around, as the huge crowd clapped for active US military, reserves, WW2 vets, Vietnam vets, medal of honor recipients, flying aces and much more.

He apparently felt this parade was for him, too, and it was. Obviously, the crowd was belatedly thanking all Viet-era vets for their service. When the annnouncer related of the drama of a 'Nam hero riding in a classic Detroit convertible, the audience roared approval.

Here in Southern California beach cities, you can get the lonely feeling that you are the only conservative in town. The popular local culture mimics Hollywood, liberal drivel 24/7. Imagine the joy in attending a giant family-oriented parade honoring our soldiers, in fact, the country's largest and oldest such parade: the Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade.

The Pacific Ocean is a mere two miles down Torrance Blvd. which ends at the Redondo Pier. The temperature is a perfect 70 degrees, the sky a brilliant blue. Thousands of families are lining the 3 mile parade route with camp chairs, picnics, American flags. Smiles and laughter and pride.

A Freeper's dream, all well-behaved patriotic citizens with no screeching liberals or stubborn hippie throwbacks. People patting police on the back. Tatooed teenagers saluting the troops. This is like a huge counter-demonstration to the heavily-covered war protests and gay rights parades. I imagine there are precious few Kerry voters in this throng.

I sidle up to a policeman and ask how's the security? He chuckles and replies, "Look at this crowd, they don't create trouble. Not one fistfight. They even pick up after themselves, there's no trash for the cleanup crews tonight." All the cops are wearing big smiles.

As an Abrams tank stops in the street to swivel on it's turret and raise and lower it's big gunbarrel, the children shriek in delight as Army reserves throw out candies. Suddenly two F-14s roar overhead, just above the treetops. The crowd erupts in cheer and clapping. A family with a dozen friends wear t-shirts emblazoned with a photo of their sibling/friend, a Marine currently in Fallujah.

This seems like a pleasant dream to me. I can't believe the pride I feel in my fellow citizens. I feel as if I stumbled into a parallel universe, one that supports our troops, thanks our vets, loves the flag and raises respectful children. I am stunned.

On further thought, I shouldn't be stunned. This America is here, quietly existing under the media radar, going about it's business and living the dream of freedom... doing what it always does.

The temperature is a perfect 70 degrees, the sky a brilliant blue. Thousands of families are lining the 3 mile parade route with camp chairs, picnics, American flags. Smiles and laughter and pride.

A Freeper's dream, all well-behaved patriotic citizens with no screeching liberals or stubborn hippie throwbacks. People patting police on the back. Tatooed teenagers saluting the troops. This is like a huge counter-demonstration to the heavily-covered war protests and gay rights parades. I imagine there are precious few Kerry voters in this throng.

I sidle up to a policeman and ask how's the security? He chuckles and replies, "Look at this crowd, they don't create trouble. Not one fistfight. They even pick up after themselves, there's no trash for the cleanup crews tonight." All the cops are wearing big smiles.

As an Abrams tank stops in the street to swivel on it's turret and raise and lower it's big gunbarrel, the children shriek in delight as Army reserves throw out candies. Suddenly two F-14s roar overhead, just above the treetops. The crowd erupts in cheer and clapping. A family with a dozen friends wear t-shirts emblazoned with a photo of their sibling/friend, a Marine currently in Fallujah.

Now that's the I America I remember growing up in and it's still there.

Thank you for sharing this.

I was there at this year's Armed Forces Day Parade in Torrance, too!

See also, from www.tpd.torrnet.com/paradehistory.htm:

CITY OF TORRANCE
Armed Forces Day Parade Honoring America's Armed Services
Over the past 43 years, the City of Torrance has proudly honored the men and women of the United States military in an annual Armed Forces Day Parade and celebration.
This rich tradition began in 1960 when former Mayor Al Isen, with the help of the Torrance Chamber of Commerce, organized the first parade as a tribute to friends and fellow Americans who had served in the Armed Forces. The parade has since grown over the years to become one of America’s most eagerly awaited demonstrations of patriotism and the love of our country. The Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade has the distinction of being the longest-running military parade sponsored by any city in the nation.
The Armed Forces Day Parade has drawn up to 100,000 spectators a year to watch as many as 8,000 parade participants march along the two-mile parade route from downtown Torrance to Torrance City Hall. In the early days, the celebration began on a Friday evening with a display of military exhibits coupled with a large fireworks show behind City Hall. The parade began on Saturday morning and was followed by a day-long display of military hardware and parade floats, all open for public view.
Throughout the history of the parade, each year the City of Torrance has focused recognition on a separate branch of the military by designating it as the "honored service" during the celebration. One dedicated American from the "honored service" - the United States Army, Navy, Air-Force, Marines, or Coast Guard - is invited to act as the Grand Marshal of this momentous event.
The Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade has a rich history of recognizing military war heroes, such as U.S. General of the Army Omar N. Bradley in 1969, as the Honorary Grand Marshal. Five Star General of the Army Omar Bradley was, at the time, the highest-ranking service member in the nation. General Bradley commanded the largest American military body ever to serve under one field commander; a force of more than 1,300,000 troops, during the European campaign in World War II.
The City of Torrance is one of very few cities in the nation that have been designated by the U.S. Department of Defense as hosts of an Armed Forces Day celebration. This may be because Torrance has upheld the parade as a military event, with participation from all five branches of service.

Parade Photos 2002

Parade Photos 2001

Here is a SHORT EXCERPT from the story in the L.A. Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-parade16may16,1,2359479.story?coll=la-news-state
LOS ANGELES

Military-Themed Parade Draws Cheering Throng

The crowd, including parents of a Marine in Iraq, shows its support for U.S. troops.
By David Pierson
Times Staff Writer

May 16, 2004

Flanked by thousands of cheering paradegoers on the sidewalk, Lyle Moulton enjoyed a brief respite from the constant worry he has endured since his son left for Iraq in March.

Wearing a T-shirt printed with a picture of Garret, a 23-year-old Marine, Moulton cheered when a pair of F-14 fighter jets boomed overhead, setting off dozens of car alarms.

"Now that my son is over there, this parade is very personal," he said.

Torrance's Armed Forces Day Parade has weathered myriad political climates in its 45 years, from the gloom of the Vietnam War era to the more popular Gulf War in 1991.

But the outpouring of appreciation for the military each year has always helped comfort families with loved ones overseas. That's more so now as the conflict in Iraq continues, said Moulton, whose home faces the parade route on Torrance Boulevard. A banner above his garage door read: "LCpl Garret Moulton/2nd Battalion/1st Marines/Support Our Troops."

"This is one of my favorite days," he said.

Before the marching bands, tanks and dignitaries moved down the two-mile route, the crowd — which police estimated at 60,000 — paused for a moment of silence for Sgt. Brian Wood, a Torrance native who was killed in Tikrit last month....

I checked the Daily Breeze site, they had a good story but no pix online.
That would be HERE:

Sunday, May 16, 2004
For Torrance family, Armed Forces Day Parade is more personal

By Dennis Johnson Daily Breeze
Just as Mary and Lyle Moulton are about to pile together with family and friends for a huge group photo, the West High marching band comes to a halt near the couple's home along Torrance Boulevard.

Each person jockeys for position, arranging themselves and their T-shirts for maximum exposure -- the hazy Saturday afternoon sun coming down through the eucalyptus trees.

"On cue, say Garrett," shouts Mary Moulton, referring to her son, whose face adorns many of their shirts.

As directed, they all start hollering, some yelling "GARRETT," others shouting "HOO-YAH." Smiles and laughing across the board.

The shutter clicks, the group disbands and the Torrance high school's brass section strikes up a tune as the 45th Annual Armed Forces Day Parade continues on its route.

Torrance's tribute to Armed Forces Day has always been cause for celebration for the Moulton family -- their home is prime viewing ground -- especially for Garrett, who counted the day as one of his favorites.

But this year's parade came with added poignancy for the deeply patriotic family. Lance Cpl. Garrett Moulton, 23, is currently serving with the Marines in Iraq, most recently in the fierce battleground of Fallujah.

"We've always had a real sense of patriotism in this family," his mother said. "Every time I hear the national anthem, no matter where I am ... I tear up.

"This is his favorite day. This is better than his birthday, the Armed Forces Day Parade."

So a day of the year that is usually festive and lively is even more so, as more than two dozen of Garrett's relatives and friends hang outside the Moulton house to salute the passing military display and remember their own.

The group shouts "thank yous" to the World War II veterans and Pearl Harbor survivors as they passed by, inviting the whole lot of them back over after the parade for a barbecue and some beers.

On a larger scale, the thousands of spectators lining Torrance Boulevard from Crenshaw Boulevard to Madrona Avenue were doing the same, in perfect sync with the parade's theme "A Tradition of Heroes."

This year's parade honored the Navy, with Rear Adm. W. Clyde Marsh serving as its grand marshal. Each year, a different branch of the military is recognized.

The Moulton family was just one part of a huge collective of people who each year attend the parade that is touted as the largest and longest running in the country.

"Torrance is one of the few cities in the United States that has a parade and he just loves that," said Lyle Moulton of his son. "In his last letter he said he wishes he could be here for this day.

"We are so proud of these people who come out here."

Curbside, the entire Moulton gang, along with those lining the parade route, exploded into loud cheers as two military fighter jets made a low, loud pass overhead.

Besides the T-shirts emblazoned with Garrett's picture of his graduation from Camp Pendleton, a large banner spanned the length of the family's garage, giving his name, unit information and the requisite "Semper Fi."

Ryan Moulton, 24, said he just got a letter from his younger brother that said he knew he wouldn't be in town for Saturday's parade, but couldn't wait to spend next Fourth of July with them.

It went like this throughout the parade, each person celebrating the display with American flags for the passing soldiers. Up and down the street, the scene was the same.

Josh LeRoy, a longtime friend of the family, said he was shocked at first when he found out that Garrett had enlisted, but is now very proud.

LeRoy, 29, has been following a San Diego newspaper that keeps track of Camp Pendleton so he knew what was happening with Garrett's Marine unit.

"I'm very proud of him and I just want to see him back," he said. "That's all I can say without tearing up."

While a few said they were scared for their friend, nephew, brother and son -- they would be silly not to be, said his uncle Tom Astgen, a former Marine -- they all said they knew things would be OK.

"Every night he is in my prayers," said his aunt Elaine Moulton. "Every time I write a letter to him, he and his friends and everybody over there is in my prayers."

Publish Date:May 16, 2004

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