Summit Memorial Day Parade 2019 (Photos)

SUMMIT, NJ - From the American Revolution up to present day conflicts, the City of Summit's annual Memorial Day parade honored those men and women who lost their lives in military service to their country.

The parade and ceremony will took place on Monday beginning on Deforest Ave. and ending at the Village Green.

Sponsored by the Summit Fourth of July Celebration Committee, the parade was led by members of the Summit American Legion Post #322. The Summit High School marching band, Summit Police Department, Summit Fire Department, Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad, and scout troops marched in the parade.

Summit Mayor Nora G. Radest spoke at the event, and her thoughts are below:

"Thank you for joining us in this solemn remembrance today. I am honored and deeply humbled to be here with you, to honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge those among us who have lost a loved one in the line of duty. We will never stop striving to be worthy of the noble service and sacrifice of your loved ones.

More than one million American service members have died for this nation since the first colonial soldiers took up arms in 1775. Each person who has died during these conflicts was a loved one, cherished by family and friends.

Each was a loss to their community and to the nation.

This sentiment rings particularly true today as we dedicate a new monument honoring two World War I Medal of Honor winners from Summit, Corporal Thomas E. O’Shea and Sergeant Alan Louis Eggers. I am so proud that their names will be forever etched in stone on our Village Green. This tribute was the vision of Summit veterans Henry
Bassman and William Rapp; I applaud and thank them for their extraordinary efforts to honor Summit’s Medal of Honor winners. Thank you also to Delia Hamlet for facilitating its installation.

Memorial Day is not just another spring day. It is a day we hold sacred and filled with shared memories, a day that connects us all to the very origins of our nation, a day that binds us as a community. Together we are here to mourn the fallen.
We honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans, as well as our local Summit hometown heroes, men and women who served our country at home and abroad as active members of the military. They sacrificed their safety and comfort so that we could be safe and comfortable here at home. They were steadfast in their service to
America.

As Adlai Stevenson said, patriotism is not short, frenzied bursts of emotion, but rather the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. This year we expanded our Hometown Heroes from 100 to 183 veterans, and we are proud to honor you.
Let us celebrate that there are men and women among us who have answered, and continue to answer, the call to duty. Let us celebrate the lives of those who fought and have fallen so that we may live in a free country. Let us also remember our fallen peace officers who have passed away in the line of duty in service to our communities;
they serve every day to protect the innocent and keep our communities safe. They too are the best of us.

As I have said on past Memorial Days and remind you again today, please take time to laugh and play. Spend time with loved ones. Be grateful for every ounce of freedom you enjoy. When you go to bed at night, and you feel safe, secure and unafraid, please remember why.

Thank you to the Department of Community Programs, American Legion Post #322 and the Summit PAL for hosting this event again this year. Thank you also to the Summit High School marching band for beautiful patriotic music, and to all of the marchers, especially the veterans who join us today. We thank you for your wonderful participation and for the great sacrifices you have made in service to our country."

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