Port Washington residents scattered around Main Street on Monday to watch community officials, students and local organizations march in Port Washington’s Memorial Day Parade.
“I always support the parade in Port Washington, and I’m a veteran so I have to remember the veterans who gave their lives for our freedom,” said Port Washington resident and U.S. Army veteran Chuck Doughty.
“The sad part about our Memorial Day Parade is thinking of my Port Washington High School classmates [Billy Polchow, Bobby Zwerlein, Rich Ferguson] who lost their lives during the Vietnam War and never had the opportunity as I did to return home and celebrate the holiday with all of our friends over all these years,” said Vietnam veteran Ken Kraft, who took part in the parade by driving in his Volkswagen down Port Washington Blvd.
“I love it,” he said. “We had the music cranking.”
Kraft, who’s running for Manorhaven trustee in June, said he planned to march in the parade in Glen Head, but because it was canceled this year he decided to join the parade in Port.
“Port Washington always had a nice parade,” Kraft said. “It has a beautiful parade route, right down Main Street.”
The Port Washington Memorial Day parade, sponsored by American Legion Post 509 and VFW Post 1819, started on Port Washington Boulevard and Campus Drive and ended on Lower Main Street near the John Philip Sousa Memorial Bandshell in Sunset Park.
Vietnam veteran Jerald Tedeschi and Vietnam era veteran Leon Jankowski were honored as grand marshals at this year’s Memorial Day Parade.
“I am proud and honored to lead this year’s Memorial Day parade and to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation,” Jankowski said. “God bless America!”
The Port Washington Chamber of Commerce also handed out thousands of American flags.
Port Washington residents Kathy Doughty, Beth Erichsen, and Mary Lou Montfort attended this year’s parade to show their support.
“Someone’s got to wave at these people,” Doughty said jokingly.
“Yeah, we wouldn’t miss it,” Erichsen added.
Doughty said after teaching for more than 35 years in the Port Washington School District, she’s familiar with the kids in the parade.
“I know a lot of the kids,” she said. “I know the firemen.”
“The parade was very good,” she added.
