Day to Remember: Gainesville's Memorial Day Parade

Posted 1:11PM on Monday 25th May 2009 ( 15 years ago )

GAINESVILLE - The 7th Annual Memorial Day parade in Gainesville represented a day of remembrance for all who attended and watched, especially for two World War ll veterans, one of whom made the D-Day landing on the Normandy beaches 65 years ago on June 6th, 1944.

Cecil Boswell from Gainesville and Jim Burch from Lula walked together on Green Street.
Burch recalled he was in four major battles in Europe and said he spent most of his time â

W.W.ll vets Jim Burch and Cecil Boswell

Gainesville Police Color Guard led the parade

Cloudy skies hung over Green Street but they withheld the rain from the paraders and parade units

Thousands of curbside spectators tapped their feet and waved U.S. flags

Retired teacher Ralph Mills, portraying a Confederate Infantry captain with his Civil War re-enactment group, said Memorial Day dates back to just after that war over 140 years ago.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2009/5/220638