{"id":30690,"date":"2023-11-11T20:59:57","date_gmt":"2023-11-12T03:59:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/hundreds-turn-out-to-show-respect-during-veterans-day-parade-in-durango\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T01:23:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:23:43","slug":"hundreds-turn-out-to-show-respect-during-veterans-day-parade-in-durango","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/hundreds-turn-out-to-show-respect-during-veterans-day-parade-in-durango\/","title":{"rendered":"Hundreds turn out to show respect during Veterans Day Parade in Durango"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=a8f8d6cd-9e5a-5d7c-88f5-0cdbad8cafd8&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" alt=\"Fran Pearlmutter, a Word War II code breaker, rides in a military jeep during the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Fran Pearlmutter, a Word War II code breaker, rides in a military jeep during the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Fire engine sirens blared, Harley-Davidson engines revved, cheerleaders chanted and crowds cheered as the 2023 Veterans Day Parade made its way up Main Avenue on Saturday morning in Durango.<\/p>\n<p>People lined the streets for the annual parade to pay their respects and show their gratitude to the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Later in the day, spectators were treated to a fly-over by the 140th Wing F-16 Fighting Falcons and an open house at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 4031.<\/p>\n<p>Fran Pearlmutter, a World War II code breaker, rode through the parade in a military jeep. And Bill Morris who served in the Korean War and is now in his late 80s, walked all the way up Main Avenue for the parade.<\/p>\n<p>Ellen Babers, Durango community events administrator, said she estimates between 800 and 1,000 people attended the parade. That\u2019s not counting people participating in the parade, of which there were about 200.<\/p>\n<p>Mike Benton, VFW commander and parade marshal, said on Saturday before the parade he had 30 organizations participating, and he anticipated several more to sign in at the last minute.<\/p>\n<p>The people and organizations featured in the parade included but were not limited to the Durango Youth Hockey Association\u2019s Ice Devils, the Durango High School Red Pride Marching Band, La Plata County Mounted Patrol, the Southwest Republican Women and La Plata County GOP, the Tin Lizzies, over 30 Harley-Davidson riders and other groups.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=fdd9e502-d767-5182-83bf-b8c11dca4852&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" alt=\"The Veterans Day Parade is led by the Durango Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard on Saturday. Veteran parade-goers told The Durango Herald the holiday serves as a reminder of the sacrifices servicemen and servicewomen made to protect the freedoms Americans enjoy today. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">The Veterans Day Parade is led by the Durango Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard on Saturday. Veteran parade-goers told The Durango Herald the holiday serves as a reminder of the sacrifices servicemen and servicewomen made to protect the freedoms Americans enjoy today. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>The point behind the festivities was to recognize the brave men and women who served to protect the country and the freedoms Americans enjoy, and plenty of veterans were in the crowds on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>Jim Akin, a retired U. S Air Force veteran, served in the Armed Forces and specialized in electronics maintenance for 23 years during the Vietnam War. Although he never served in Vietnam, he traveled the world and spent time in England, Turkey and Berlin.<\/p>\n<p>He said he accumulated many technical skills and life experiences while serving abroad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust traveling and seeing the world. I enjoyed the job and enjoyed the work. I really, really liked it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video wp-block-embed-youtube naviga-video-embed\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YdDaGlS6Xmg\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>His daughter-in-law, Shanda Akin, also served in the Air Force for 25 years after graduating from DHS in 1991. She said the most valuable skill she developed during her time was the art of resiliency.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did seven different jobs in my Air Force career,\u201d she said. \u201cBut resiliency is probably one of the biggest ones. No matter what it was \u2013 a move to a different country or a different city or a different job or whatever it involved \u2013 it was the skills to push through and work through those challenging moments.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Veterans Day is important because it\u2019s a reminder of veterans\u2019 sacrifices, she said.<\/p>\n<p>Looking to Jim Akins, she said, \u201cThe Vietnam vets didn\u2019t get the appreciation and the \u2018thank yous\u2019 and the \u2018welcome homes\u2019 that we did even in our generations. It\u2019s a lot more than I think your average citizen understands or realizes what it is about. \u2026 For me, to be able to be here and say \u2018thank you\u2019 to the veterans who paved the path for me, even, it made my service that much better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=d149bef2-a5ac-5525-a270-0ae7495942a9&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" alt=\"Steve Ashburn and his son, Russell Ashburn, both Navy vets, attend the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Steve Ashburn and his son, Russell Ashburn, both Navy vets, attend the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Steve Ashburn, 76, is a proud American and Navy veteran. He lives near Pastorius Reservoir these days. But during the Vietnam War, he was stationed at the Bethesda Navy Hospital (Walter Reed National Military Medical Center) in Bethesda, Maryland.<\/p>\n<p>He said he followed in the footsteps of his father and inspired his son, Russell Ashburn, to join the Navy, too.<\/p>\n<p>Veterans Day is a reminder to layman Americans to talk to local veterans because they have a lot of knowledge and experience to share.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you\u2019re proud of something that you have done in your life then it\u2019s good to let other people know. It was a good experience,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>During his service, Ashburn studied nuclear medicine, which John Hopkins Medicine describes as \u201ca specialized area of radiology that uses very small amounts of radioactive materials, or radiopharmaceuticals, to examine organ function and structure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ashburn\u2019s father was a proud serviceman, and it\u2019s his pride for the country and for military service Ashburn believes inspired him to join the Armed Forces. The same goes for Ashburn\u2019s son, Russell, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c (Russell) saw that I was proud of what I did in the service. He worked in aviation and was happy that he served,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we don\u2019t honor and remember our veterans, then we\u2019re losing a whole lot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Frank Vandruff, another parade-goer on Saturday, traveled from Kirtland, New Mexico, to be in Durango and support the Aztec veterans community. He said he didn\u2019t serve in the Armed Forces, but his father served in the 1950s Korean War, and his daughter joined the Navy in 2022 and is currently stationed in Japan.<\/p>\n<p>He said he worries for his daughter, but \u201clike she said, it\u2019s what her destination is.\u201d And he\u2019s very proud of her.<\/p>\n<p>He said veterans can be thanked for every freedom Americans enjoy.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=d180953a-7067-5c2e-980f-a66e8e160a71&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" alt=\"At least 800 spectators waved American flags and cheered on Durango and La Plata County veterans during the Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">At least 800 spectators waved American flags and cheered on Durango and La Plata County veterans during the Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>\u201cTo be able to have our home, to be able to go to church on Sundays,\u201d he said. \u201c \u2026 For us to be able to enjoy a parade today, to be able to go forth and watch people \u2026 To be able to fly that flag under freedom. That means everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He said the freedom of having differing political parties and opinions is thanks to veterans\u2019 sacrifices. And some members of the younger generations don\u2019t understand the sacrifices made.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey need to go back and listen to a little bit of history and pay a little respect to these elders,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>His father taught him that \u201ca friend is a friend and a neighbor is a neighbor,\u201d and it doesn\u2019t matter how close or far someone is, during times of need, it\u2019s time to help take care of each other.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m just grateful for what I\u2019ve got,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p><em id=\"emphasis-b71b1ad1dc717f706713587cbf305115\"><a href=\"mailto:cburney@durangoherald.com\">cburney@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=f7893171-6e3b-5c63-9331-2d7840438d06&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" alt=\"Bill Morris walks in the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Bill Morris walks in the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=df2c409c-5443-5ea5-af2d-b99486bd99ea&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" alt=\"People fill the sidewalks during the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">People fill the sidewalks during the Durango Veterans Day Parade on Saturday. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018Thank you\u2019 to the veterans who paved the path for me \u2026 it made my service that much better\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30691,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[364,950,510,28,475,1408,184],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-30690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-community","tag-durango","tag-festive-event-including-carnival","tag-headlines","tag-la-plata-county-colorado","tag-parade","tag-veterans-affairs"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30690"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81165,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30690\/revisions\/81165"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30690"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=30690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}