Toledo turns up for downtown Memorial Parade

Flags waved, service men and women honored, and hands clapped by all

Roy Barnes, right, hands-out flags to Braden Keel, left, 5, from Toledo and Saydee Perry, 15, center, from Toledo.

The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Honor guard.

Roy Barnes, right, hands-out flags to Braden Keel, left, 5, from Toledo and Saydee Perry, 15, center, from Toledo.

Today’s Memorial Day parade in Toledo stepped off at 10 a.m. from Summit Street and made its way near the Civic Center Mall at Michigan Street for a memorial service.

Lt. Cmdr. Vidal Valentin, commanding officer of the Navy Operational Support Center for the Toledo area, was the parade‘s grand marshal and said during the service that the United States' protection of freedom and way of life was “bought under the price of blood.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Click here for more photos from the parade

Several streets were closed early for the parade until about noon. For the parade leading up to the memorial service, an obviously patriotic crowd staked out spots along the route as police motorcycles revved up and led a long and loud procession of marching bands, military vehicles, and representatives from active-duty military. Two missiles were towed along the route, including one marked “Nike-Hercules Missile 1959-1971.”

Observers waved American flags, clapped, and cheered.

"We need to remember those who lost their lives and be supportive,“ said Ed Skinner, a Navy veteran from Ottawa Hills. ”We need to remember and this parade is great because Toledo is always very supportive.“

Toward sunset on Memorial Day, the first of eight plaques honoring local veterans will be unveiled at Bayview Park, in Toledo’s Point Place neighborhood. The seven additional plaques will be installed on a later date.

The event starts at 8:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

A flag in placed in the boots on the memorial at the Civic Center Mall.