City to Pay Tribute to Veterans with Biggest Parade North of the GG Bridge

Despite threats of rain predicted for this Friday, which could curtail special fly-overs of vintage planes, organizers of the Petaluma Veterans Parade are optimistic about the scope and reception of the annual ode to those who serve. 

Like a little rain would stop any of the vets participating in the largest Veterans Day Parade north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Petaluma's Veterans Day Parade became an annual event in 1986 when 50 veterans joined WWI vet Julius Forcucci, who had marched with a few friends since 1967, but walked alone carrying the American flag in 1984 and 1985.

“This is my seventh year organizing the parade. Seven years ago we had 60 entries and we’re up to 200 this year," said Steve Kemmerle, past Commander of American Legion Post 28, Petaluma. "Last year 25,000 to 30,000 people came.” 

Most vets have slogged through mud, rain, ice, snow or tropical heat. If it weren’t rain, there would probably be something else to worry about. Like .

“Oh, I’m sure the Occupy Petaluma folks will be there protesting, but that’s all right. They have a right to and I don’t think they’re upset with veterans. The Veterans for Peace will be there like they are every year, too,” said Kemmerle.

The parade is a red, white and blue sensory experience that includes representatives of all branches of the military plus local law enforcement, search and rescue personnel and firefighters. 

Staging of the parade begins at 11 a.m. on 4th Street from “D” to “I” streets with the parade commencing at 1 p.m. Vintage airplanes will fly over downtown between 1 and 2 p.m. The starting point of the parade is at Walnut Park at "D" Street, and runs along 4th and Kentucky streets, turning east Washington Street and back south along Petaluma Boulevard to finish at Walnut Park.

This year’s Grand Marshall is General Richard D. Hearney, a retired four-star Marine general from Ukiah who was born in Petaluma and graduated from Petaluma High School before rising through the ranks to serve as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

The Sonoma County Veteran of the Year is Pete Peterka, a former Director of Emergency Services for Sonoma County and a WWII military veteran.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first Naval aircraft carrier flight, when on Jan. 17, 1911 a plane took off from Tanforan racetrack and landed on a carrier in San Francisco Bay.

It's also the centennial of the first airmail flight. A one-third-scale replica of the plane flown by on the first “quasi-official” airmail flight between Petaluma and Santa Rosa on Feb. 17, 1911 will be in the parade. The original plane is part of the Smithsonian Collection.

Following the parade, there is a program at , including a prayer by Herb Louden, Pearl Harbor Chaplain, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Petaluma High senior Eleni Papageorgacopoulos will sing the national anthem and “God Bless America."

At 4 p.m., a group of veterans will place a wreath at Penry Park, in honor of the Vietnam War veteran Richard Penry who won a Congressional Medal of Honor for his valor and died in 1994.

Petaluma’s Veterans Day Parade provides a free and rare opportunity to see many military vehicles and this year will include a T-34 Russian tank and M 85 artillery piece. Fly-overs may include a Huey helicopter, a YAK 11, three Nanchings, a P28 (known as “The Pilot Maker”) and a P51.

Kent Carlomagno is the Fly-In Coordinator for the Veteran’s Day parade and he’s hoping for clear skies, despite wet weather predictions.

He flies a Yakovlev YAK 11, a Russian made fighter that racked up hours over Czechoslovakia and Egypt. You can’t miss it. It’s all black with little stubby wings “…great for dogfights…” with red Russian stars outlined in yellow.