DAVENPORT, Iowa — Monday is Veterans Day, an annual celebration honoring those who have served in the U.S. armed forces. The federal holiday is linked to the end of World War I and wasn't officially called Veterans Day until 1954.
Residents across the Quad Cities community came together to remember and honor those who served, hosting various events and ceremonies.
Here's a look at how our hometowns recognized Veterans Day.
Annual Veterans Day parade in Galesburg
For Lomac Payton, Galesburg was supposed to just be a stop.
"I came here when I first got out of the military," the Korean veteran who served from 1952-1955 said.
Lomac previously served as the state commander of the American Legion and was this year's grand marshall in the Galesburg Veterans Day parade.
"I didn’t come here to stay, I came here to visit a friend of mine," he said. "I said 'Mind if I stay another week?' Part of Galesburg just really touched me." It's a town that gathered together, despite the chilly weather Sunday afternoon, to honor those who have sacrificed so much.
"The city always comes out," Parade Coordinator Ryan Hummel said, who has been in charge of the event for the last 15 years. He added that the parade was started by two local veterans following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. "We always had a supportive community here."
This year, the event had three active veteran organizations and 52 parade entries. Payton, who is a parade celebrity, said the excitement never gets old.
"It's really soothing to the ear when someone calls out your name. It really feels good and I love it."
The parade not only honored present veterans but also those of the past. Local elected officials honored a group of Civil War soldiers from Galesburg. Illinois' bipartisan House Resolution 0878 pays tribute to 12 African American soldiers who joined Company H of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. The famous story is depicted in the movie Glory, starring Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman.
"So a lot of great history from these 12 great Americans from here," Illinois State Rep. Dan Swanson said. Swanson sponsored the resolution.
Sherrard High School honors veterans with assembly
The Sherrard School District honored veterans with an all-school assembly.
The school district added a new addition to the assembly this year. Students were able to sit with family members who served. School officials said that's a win-win; students get recognition for their sacrifices at home, while the veterans get to make up for lost time.
"I'm old enough, when I was a kid, all the grandparents were World War II vets. Now, all the grandparents are Vietnam vets, and they're rapidly aging. So I think it's important to hold on to that and make sure we show them the respect that they deserve," Sherrard Superintendent Carl Johnson said.
Rock Island National Cemetery hosts annual Veterans Day Ceremony
Dozens of community members gathered at Rock Island National Cemetery to see the Arsenal's Veterans Day ceremony, where a guest speaker shared his experience visiting Normandy alongside local WWII veterans.
"Every one of these veterans represents hundreds of other veterans if not thousands of other veterans that have come before them or fought with them that weren't able to be here today, so it's important for us to acknowledge and celebrate their service as well," Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Prosser said.
Annual Veterans Day parade in Davenport
Hundreds of people of all ages gathered in downtown Davenport for its annual Veterans Day parade. Red, white and blue could be seen up and down the streets as the community was out and about supporting those who have made many sacrifices. That includes numerous Vietnam veterans who said today holds great significance.
"The best thing to do is to come and support our soldiers," local veteran Saunders E. Pike said. "We have a lot of soldiers that are homeless. It shouldn't be that way because this is America, and we fought for this country."
Those local veterans and many others were celebrated with songs from four marching bands from the area. Davenport Central, Davenport North, Davenport West and Assumption High School all marched in today's parade.
Annual Veterans Day Ceremony at Hero Street Memorial Park in Silvis
Hero Street Memorial Park is dedicated to eight heroes from the same neighborhood who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Members of the Silvis community paid tribute to them as well as everyone else who's served at their annual Veterans Day event. In addition to the eight soldiers who died, 120 names are listed on the park's memorial.
Rockridge schools host Veterans Day program
Rockridge High School held a Veterans Day event for all grades. The morning started with a breakfast for veterans, following a schoolwide assembly including performances from a choir.
"The hope is obviously by being in school that we take this opportunity to really allow the students to appreciate the sacrifices that our veterans have made for us and recognize that but also to be able to give back to the veterans and make a special day to recognize them, as well," Rockridge High School Principal Katy Hasson said.
Hy-Vee hosts annual free breakfast for veterans
Hy-Vee stores continued their Veterans Day tradition of providing a free breakfast to veterans at all of the grocery chain's locations. Veterans also received 15% off their grocery purchases. 2024 marked the 25th anniversary of the tradition.
