It used to be called Veterans Day and is now known as Armistice Day. Nov 11 is VETERANS day devoted to veterans of World War I, the “war to end all wars.” this was day celebrated with everyone gathering at Tremont street in Boston. Columns upon columns of combat hardened veterans passed here and people learn out of windows to cheer them and watch them.
This year it was drab and dull. Have people forgotten the veterans? Yesterday a short parade of present and past veterans was led by 4 mounted Boston police officers and apathetic crowd of a few hundred were there to pay tribute.” The numbers have been down the past two to three years, and I don’t know why,” said Margaret St. Cyr, 81, a proud auxiliary member of American Legion Post 327 in Mission Hill. “A lot of your World War II vets, who were very strong in these parades, have passed away.”
Eleanor McHugh, president of the American Legion auxiliary at Old Dorchester Post 65, lamented the poor attendance and said “I think the young people aren’t interested The young veterans will pay their dues, but they won’t come to meetings. “However the crowd increased as the parade reached City Hall Plaza. George M. Cohan songs and military anthems were sung and the air reverberated with the voices.
“A lot of kids don’t even know the meaning of all this,” said Egidio, who is the third of four generations to have served in the military, from World War I to recent times. “I try to come every year.” Rockland was more festive with more than 2,000 spectators, said Joseph Colantoni, the veterans agent in Abington.
“I thought it was excellent,” Colantoni said. “We’ve had Veterans Days when there was nobody, you know? I think the reason there was a lot more is because the war is still on. This was one of the better ones.”
