HONORING THEIR SACRIFICE
OUR PUBLIC EVENTS & AWARD-WINNING TELEVISION PROGRAMS
NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
Now the largest Memorial Day event in the United States, the National Memorial Day Parade was inaugurated by the American Veterans Center & World War II Veterans Committee in 2005. A tradition in towns and cities since just after the Civil War, the original Memorial Day parade in Washington, DC faded away during World War II.
The parade- which marches past the White House, the National Archives, and the Washington Monument before ending near the National World War II Memorial, is a moving timeline of American military history, calling attention to the true meaning of Memorial Day.
The National Memorial Day Parade is televised LIVE across the United States on cable & satellite, as well as to our military personnel serving around the world on American Forces Network. It features more than 4,000 participants, and draws crowds of well over a quarter of a million spectators annually.
The Grand Marshals of the 2015 National Memorial Day Parade were“ The Veterans of World War II.” Representing the 16 million who served- and more than 400,000 who died- nearly 100 surviving veterans rode down Constitution Avenue, welcomed by adoring crowds( below).
NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY
CHORAL FESTIVAL
Also on Memorial Day weekend, the AVC & WWIIVC hosted the National Memorial Day Choral Festival at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Launched in 2008 to pair with the parade, the festival brought together hundreds of vocalists to perform with the U. S. Air Force orchestra in front of a full house of more than 2,500.
A MAJOR LEAGUE SALUTE
TO WORLD WAR II VETS
On June 6, 2015- the 71st anniversary of D-Day- the World War II Veterans Committee joined Major League Baseball’ s Washington Nationals in a special salute to the World War II generation. Dozens of veterans were welcomed, taking part in pre-game festivities and watching from a VIP luxury suite.
THE HONORS: A SALUTE TO AMERICAN HEROES
On November 7, 2015, the American Veterans Center hosted The Honors: A Salute to American Heroes, the first awards show on television saluting our military heroes from across the generations.
The Honors welcomed American heroes from World War II to the present day, including legends like astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Richard E. Cole, Jimmy Doolittle’ s co-pilot on the Doolittle Raid( pictured left with AVC Honorary Chairman General Richard Myers and AVC President James C. Roberts).
Celebrities including Michael Douglas, Pat Sajak, Megyn Kelly, Kiefer Sutherland, Dean Cain, and more came together to tell the stories of America’ s greatest heroes in an awards show built to honor those who deserve it most- our veterans. Ceremonies and musical performances, including the United States Army Chorus( left) made it a powerful evening, and fantastic television tribute to our military heroes.
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