Long before the rest of the country began setting aside a day to honor all who served, it was Birmingham that first carried the torch.
What started here nearly eight decades ago as a simple idea from one veteran has grown into the nation’s oldest and among the largest Veterans Day parades — a moving reminder that gratitude, like courage, begins at home.
In 1947, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks led the first Veterans Day celebration in Birmingham, years before it became a national holiday. His hope was simple — that Americans would honor all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. President Dwight D. Eisenhower later signed the legislation making that vision a reality in 1954.
That spirit still guides the city today as Birmingham prepares to host the 78th National Veterans Day Parade on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in the heart of downtown.
According to the National Veteran’s Day Parade Foundation, this year’s Grand Marshal, Captain Gary Michael “Mike” Rose, embodies the selflessness Veterans Day was created to honor. Rose was born in Watertown, New York, on October 17, 1947, and raised in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from James Monroe High School in 1965 and enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 4, 1967. After completing Airborne School, he trained as a Special Forces medic and later joined the 5th Special Forces Group for duty in Vietnam.
Between September 11 and 14, 1970, Rose’s unit conducted Operation Tailwind deep in enemy territory in Laos. The fighting began before their helicopters touched down and continued for four days. Throughout the intense 96-hour mission, then-Sergeant Rose was credited with saving the lives of roughly 60 soldiers, even as he was wounded multiple times.
On the final day of the operation, under heavy enemy fire, Rose helped move the wounded to the extraction point and load them aboard helicopters. When the final helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff, further injuring everyone on board, Rose carried the wounded and unconscious from the burning aircraft and continued to treat their injuries until the team was safely evacuated.
When Operation Tailwind was declassified in 1998, his Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. President Donald Trump presented the award to Rose during a White House ceremony on October 23, 2017.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Rose’s military decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster and “V” device, the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal with two knots, the National Defense Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with star, the Presidential Unit Citation (MAC SOG), the Vietnam Civic Action Honor Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation with Palm, the Combat Medical Badge, the Special Forces Tab, and U.S. Army, Thai Army, and Vietnam Parachute Badges, along with several additional service ribbons.
The parade will step off at 1 p.m., beginning at 18th Street North and Ninth Avenue North, traveling south to Fourth Avenue North, east to 22nd Street, north to Sixth Avenue North, then west to 19th Street, ending near City Hall at 19th Street and Tenth Avenue North.
Crowds can expect the full display of pageantry — marching bands, veterans’ organizations, military vehicles, and local groups all taking part in the citywide salute.
Among the most touching sights of the parade will be Hank the Tank, a retired military working horse from Arlington National Cemetery. Hank served in military funerals, including that of Gen. Colin Powell, before retiring to Compassion Ranch in Central Alabama, where he’s lovingly cared for by Dr. David Dyson.
In the parade, Hank will again walk without a rider — saddle empty, boots turned backward — in honor of the men and women who never came home. It’s a tradition maintained by Patriotism in Action and coordinated by Col. (ret.) Bob and Nancy Barefield, ensuring that each year, Alabama’s youngest generations see what remembrance looks like in motion.
Though the scale has grown, the heart of the event remains the same. Veterans Day in Birmingham is still a local expression of national gratitude — one born from a single veteran’s vision and carried forward by a city that has never forgotten where it started.
This year’s parade, hosted by the National Veterans Day Foundation, will be preceded by the National Veteran Award Dinner on Monday, November 10, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, honoring the service and leadership of America’s veterans.
In Birmingham, Veterans Day isn’t just a date on the calendar — it’s part of the city’s tradition of honoring its heroes.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
