West Essex Memorial Day Parade

The annual West Essex Memorial Day Parade will step off at the corner of Bloomfield and Forest avenues Monday at 9:30 a.m.

The parade, sponsored by Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Roseland and Essex Fells, will proceed down Bloomfield Avenue and conclude with a ceremony at Crane Park in West Caldwell.

Frank D'Antonio, of Fairfield, will be the parade's grand marshall. 

D'Antonio served in the military for near four years in the 77th Infantry Division, which was responsible for the capture of the islands in the Pacific, namely, Guam, Leyte, Luzon and the Kerama Islands just off Okinawa, and then Okinawa itself.

D'Antonio's division was responsible for raising the first American flag on Japanese soil. His distinguished decorations and citations include the Bronze Star medal for saving a fellow soldier under fire, Purple Heart for wounds received, Asiatic-Pacific Service medal, Philippines Liberation ribbon with Bronze Star, American Service and Good Conduct medals, World War II Victory medal.