  "Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive!" is becoming a regular feature of Veterans Day Parades throughout the country as more and more communities mobilize to honor the members of their 'greatest generation" by marching with their photos. (Above) Girl Scouts march up 5th Avenue in New York City's 2010 Veterans Day Parade. More than 100 Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Air Force Jr. ROTC represented Spirit of ’45 in the 2010 “Nation’s Veterans Day Parade” in New York City wearing bright red scarves as they marched in America’s largest Veterans Day parade in front of a float carrying our National Spokesman Jerry Coleman and a 6 ft replica of the famous Times Square Kiss. Air Force Jr. ROTC march with WWII veterans photos in Nation's Veterans Day Parade. (Center) Boy Scout wearing his grandfather's WWII service medals. (Left, New York Spirit Kids with National Youth Coordinator Robert Corpus and photo of Actress Rhonda Fleming's husband WWII Navy veteran Darol Carlson. Jerry was invited to be the Grand Marshal in the 2010 New York's Veterans Day Parade in recognition of his 120 missions as a Marine fighter pilot during World War II and the Korean War, for which he received two Distinguished Flying Crosses. Jerry was the only major league baseball player to see combat in both wars, sacrificing 5 years of his career to serve his country, and received a warm welcome from New Yorkers who remember him as the MVP of the 1950 World Series Champion Yankees. Jerry Coleman and WWII veterans on "Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive!" float in the 2010 Veterans Day Parade. Jerry presenting Spirit of '45 Day pin to NBC's Chuck Scarborough. (Right) rear view of float moving up 5th Avenue. Click here to see Spirit of '45 Day national spokesman Jerry Coleman in the 2010 NYC Veterans Day Parade The 2011 Spirit of ’45 entry in the NYC Parade included surviving members of the famous Navajo Code Talkers, the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, and other WWII heritage groups. Nell Calloway, grand daughter of Gen. Claire Chenault who led the legendary Flying Tigers, accompanied by a 6 ft replica of Seward Johnson’s famous sculpture depicting the “kiss seen round the world.” Nell Calloway, Robert Corpus and Kate Tafkovian with 6 ft version of the 25 ft Seward Johnson sculpture inspired by the "Times Square Kiss" of August 14, 1945 which is part of the "Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive!" entry in the NYC Veterans Day Parade each year. (Middle) Valerie Pfundstein with Girl Scouts who lead the youth marchers, and National Supervisor Warren Hegg. American Legion Past National Commander Fang Wong and Members of Lt. B.R. Kimlau Post in New York City's Chinatown, pose with "Kiss" statue.
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| Boy and Girl Scouts march in front of HP Pavilion during San Jose's 2010 Veterans Day Parade |
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