This year’s Veterans Day returns to New York City on Monday, November 11. As the country’s largest Veterans Day commemoration, the event features 20,000 marchers and over 150 vehicles traveling down Fifth Avenue in tribute to our armed forces. The 105th annual parade starts at 12:30 p.m. at 26th Street and Fifth Avenue and heads north until ending at 47th Street. The United States Marine Corps is this year’s featured service.
New York City’s first Veteran’s Day parade took place on September 10, 1919, in tribute to the end of World War I. The parade, then known as the Victory Parade, welcomed home General John J. Pershing, the commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), along with 25,000 soldiers who served under his command.
The parade was hosted annually by the American Legion, following the same route on Fifth Avenue. However, in 1968 when soldiers returned home from the Vietnam War, they realized they weren’t getting the same enthusiastic homecoming that veterans of previous wars had received.
As 6sqft reported, the 1973 Home with Honor Parade through Times Square was barely covered by any of the country’s media.
In 1986, a Vietnam vet named Vince McGowan formed the United War Veterans Council (UWAC), an organization devoted to honoring all of America’s veterans, regardless of which war they fought in.
Medal of Honor recipient and U.S. Marine Dakota Meyer will serve as the Grand Marshal for 2024. Meyer, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, earned the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on September 8, 2009, when he saved the lives of dozens of American and Afghan troops.
“We are honored to welcome a true American hero to lead the largest Veterans Day Parade in the nation,” UWAC President and Executive Director Mark Otto said. “Dakota Meyer is an inspiration to all Americans, and embodies the very best qualities of those who have served our nation. We invite New Yorkers to join us on November 11 to honor and support these brave men and women.”
Those who are interested in viewing the parade are encouraged to take public transportation to avoid the traffic caused by road closures. You can take the R, W, and 6 subway lines to 23rd Street near Madison Square Park for the kick-off, and take the B, D, F, or N trains at the Bryant Park and Grand Central Terminal stations at the end of the parade’s route.
The Department of Transportation has announced the following street closures for the duration of the parade:
Formation:
- Broadway between West 23rd Street and West 29th Street
- Broadway between 5th Avenue and East 23rd Street
- 5th Avenue between West 23rd Street and West 26th Street
- West 24th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue
- West 25th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue
- East/West 26th Street between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue
- East/West 27th Street between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue
- East/West 28th Street between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue
Route:
- 5th Avenue between 25th Street and 48th Street
Dispersal:
- East/West 45th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
Spectators can view the parade on Fifth Avenue from 26th Street to 47th Street between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. The parade will also be broadcast live on TV and online via WABC.
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