St. Louis pays tribute to those who served
Alex Kendall
-Sr. Staff Photographer-
Jan. 28, St. Louis hosted the Welcome Home Heroes Parade that honored troops who fought in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. St. Louis is the first city to host a parade celebration honoring Iraq veterans since the soldiers left Iraq in December.
The parade began at Kiener Plaza, followed down Market Street, and ended at Union Station with a Veteran’s Resource Center set-up inside the building. Up and down Market Street, attendees waved American flags and held up homemade “welcome home” signs.
In addition to the veterans who walked down the streets, the Welcome Home Hero Parade also features numerous floats, marching bands, lines of motorcycles, the Budweiser Clydesdales and various family and volunteer organizations. An additional organization, the Mayflower moving company, helped collect items for homeless veterans.
The night before, a tribute was held honoring the fallen men and women who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. The tribute began Friday at 9:11 p.m. when people read the names of those who have fallen since the wars’ beginnings. According to KSDK the readings lasted through Saturday morning.
