One of the largest and oldest Veterans Day parades in the nation takes place in the Bay Area.
For 107 years, San Jose has held its Veterans Day parade on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. This year, thousands of people poured into downtown San Jose, cheering on as units marched down Market Street.
Among those cheering was John Albert Garcia, a member of what’s known as the Big Red One, the First Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. He said he came back from Vietnam with invisible scars that he’s been carrying quietly for more than 50 years.
Like most returning Vietnam veterans, Garcia faced vicious backlash for fighting in the conflict. The nation was not only at war overseas, but also with itself.
A clear message emerged from attendees and speakers at the event that more needs to be done to help veterans in need.
The parade’s grand marshal, AJ Pasciuti, said all veterans deserve more when it comes to health care, housing and other services they have earned.
“We cannot allow them to be forgotten. We cannot let them slip through the cracks,” Pascuiti said. “They were willing to fight for us, and we must fight for them. Not halfway. Not sometimes. Always.”
As Garcia witnessed crowds cheering on the veterans and a city proudly flying the nation’s colors, he finally heard the words “welcome home.”
“It brings tears,” Garcia said when he heard those words. “It brings tears and just sentimental things.”