Veterans Day Parade NYC Honors Fort Hood Victims

Mayor Bloomberg announced at the breakfast prior to the 2009 Veterans Day Parade, "all those in uniform today are given special treatment," especially because of the tragedy at Fort Hood.

Organizers say more than 20,000 people are participating in the Fifth Avenue Veterans Day parade. They include about 3,000 active-duty military, civic and youth groups.

For 90th anniversary of Veterans Day, New York City is honoring the military men and women who died in last week's shooting rampage at Fort Hood during the annual parade down Fifth Avenue.

After Mayor Bloomberg's breakfast, the parade festivities began with a 10 a.m. ceremony at Madison Square Park's Eternal Light Monument where Governor David Paterson addressed the crowd. The ceremony culminated in a wreath laying, 21-rifle salute and the playing of "Taps."

The NYC Veterans Day Parade began at 11am ET near Madison Square Park at 25th Street and Fifth Avenue and ends at 56th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Cheryl Phillips
HULIQ.com

sources: www.unitedwarveterans.org, NY Daily News