Florissant MO Hosts 7th Annual Veterans Day Parade

Residents and guests from several north St Louis County, Missouri cheered the 50 plus units as they marched by on Sunday, November 8, 2009 in the7th annual Florissant Veterans Day Parade in Florissant, Missouri. Members of a number of Veterans Service Organizations such Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), the American Legion, and Korean War Veterans of America (KWVA) joined local high school marching bands, Air Force and Navy JROTC units, elected officials from several communities such as Florissant, Hazelwood and Ferguson, MO, and other groups with the desire to honor all veterans.

The four mile route that starts at the St Ferdinand Shrine, a local landmark and location of one of the first Christian churches in Missouri, passes through the Florissant Old Towne business district, then on through many Florissant residential streets to end at the Florissant Valley Park where a moving Veterans Day ceremony is held in front of the Florissant Veterans Memorial Plaque. During the ceremony a North St Louis County veteran is honored by the North St Louis County Veterans Coalition, a group of representatives from a number of Veterans Service Organizations active in the North County area.

Many uniforms were evident in the parade as well as the park grounds this year, and included the olive drab fatigues of WWII and Korean War eras, the Woodland battle dress uniform most often associated with the Vietnam war, "Chocolate Chips" worn during Operation Desert Storm when the tiny Kingdom of Kuwait was freed from Iraqi invaders, and the newest generation of battle dress that uses computer generated camouflage patterns and worn by our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. One of the most striking uniforms was worn by retired Air Force Major Bill Hobbs of Columbia, Missouri. Major Hobbs participates in many parades and military reenactments as General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, believed to be second only to General Washington in American military lore for his patriotism, dedication to duty, courage, and brilliant leadership. Major Hobbs attire is correct down to the Missouri Meerschaum pipe The General smoked.

Another retiree, Senior Chief Petty Officer Dyrol Amantine, led the Riverview Gardens Navy Junior Reserve Officer Corp (NJROTC) color guard and marching unit who seemed to be in a direct competition with the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Corp (AFJROTC) for the distinction of sharpest marching unit. According to Senior Chief Amantine, the Riverview Gardens NJROTC program has a 90% success rate in placing their high school graduates into various military branches or into college where many go on to earn commissions.

Each year the North County Veterans Coalition chooses one veteran from a list of distinguished veterans to receive the honor of being named the Florissant Valley Veteran of the Year. This year Mr. Paul Buffa was selected and along with the accolades of his peers, he was also honored by proclamation by the Honorable Robert G. Lowery, Mayor of the City of Florissant, and by the Missouri State Legislature for his decorated Army service when he was attached to A Battery, 1^st of the 83^rd Artillery unit in Vietnam in 1968, for his fortitude and perseverance in overcoming cancer, and for his continuing and faithful service with several civic organizations. Mr Buffa is a 44 year resident of Florissant where he and his wife, Donna, raised their three children.