(Photo by Michelle Dillon) Former Company Commander for Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division in the U.S. Army Capt. Jim Waybright speaks during a Veterans Day ceremony in front of the Marietta Armory Monday.

Crowds lined the streets of downtown Marietta, with many waving American flags, to watch the Ronnie W. Davis Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5108 Veterans Day Parade and later to honor veterans during a ceremony outside the Marietta Armory.

The parade started at 10 a.m. at North Hart and Fourth streets, traveled down Putnam Street and ended at Front Street in front of the Marietta Armory. It consisted of several floats and participants including Washington County fire departments, the Marietta Police Department, the Marietta High School marching band and color guard, the Fort Frye High School marching band and color guard, various local veterans organizations and more, all decked out in red, white and blue and many carrying American flags.

Belpre resident Darian Pevarski brought her children, Lucas Pevarski, 3, and Hazel Pevarski, 5, to Marietta Monday morning to enjoy the parade.

She said she bought her children because they enjoy looking at everything and “the candy of course.” She said another reason they came is that her children’s grandfather is an Army veteran.

Once the parade ended a ceremony sponsored by VFW Post 5108 was held on the Marietta Armory lawn, with VFW Post 5108 Commander Gene Venham acting as the Master of Ceremonies.

Several local government officials spoke at the ceremony including Marietta Mayor Joshua Schclicher.

“Good Morning everyone on this beautiful Veterans Day 2024,” Schlicher said.

He thanked everyone for coming and said for them to enjoy their day.

Washington County Commissioner and soon to be state senator Kevin Ritter also spoke.

“What a beautiful day to celebrate our veterans and appreciate their sacrifice.,” Ritter said.

He shared a story about visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery during a snowstorm and seeing the changing of the guards.

“As that changing of the guard took place, even though they were just 30 or feet away it was very very hard to see them in the driving snow and I thought, ‘Any country that performs that kind of ceremony in this weather at this time of year to honor its veterans is a great country,'” Ritter said. “That’s what Veterans Day is all about.”

He thanked veterans for their sacrifice.

Commissioner Charlie Schilling also spoke.

“As we come together one of the things I want to make sure we understand is the sacrifice that all of our veterans have given,” Schilling said. “The selfless acts that all of our veterans have given. I want to make sure that we understand the freedoms that we enjoy that we enjoy because of our veterans.”

He said those freedoms are the right to bear arms, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and more veterans are the cornerstone of our country. He also said he appreciates everything veterans do.

Commissioner James Booth also spoke.

Booth said he joined the U.S. Army at 18 and it gave him a great sense of purpose and brotherhood.

“Now to pass that along to younger generations … It is now the right thing to do to be patriotic. And for that Washington County does it right,” he said.

He also said all veterans are appreciated in Washington County and he thanked the county for being so patriotic.

During the ceremony representatives of veterans service organizations in the county stood up and introduced themselves and talked about their organizations.

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Former Company Commander for Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division in the U.S. Army Capt. Jim Waybright.

Waybright served in Cambodia and Vietnam, he said. He thanked people for coming out to the ceremony and said it really makes veterans feel appreciated.

“The idea of Veterans Day is something that our country should be proud of,” Waybright said. “For decades we have shown our appreciation for those who have returned.”

Waybright turned the focus to those who served and died while doing so. He listed the names of several people in his battalion that died while serving.

“These men made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “We can never thank them enough.”