Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-06-04
THOUSANDS SEE
SOLDIERS PARADE
Decoration Day at Willmar Was
Made a Welcome to Returned
Soldiers.

A record crowd, thousands of peo-
pie Of Kandiyohi County, lined the
streets of Willmar last Friday to see
the Memorial Day parade and well
come the World War veterans who
have thus far returned to their homes
from battle-felds across the sea or
from the training camps. The number
of world war veterans in line number
ed about four hundred. Escorted by
the old veterans of '61-66, by the Span.
ish American War Veterans and the
Red Cross women came the boys in
khaki, four abrest, erect, bouyant, con-
fident and firm with martial tread
acquired by months of hard drilling in
camps and in the field. It was an i'm
pressive sight, the long ranks of these
boys-our boys-just back from the
war, and the spectacle will never be
forgotten by those who saw the par
ade.
At eleven o'clock the parade start
ed from the court house grounds. At
head were five mounted guards and
the local company of Home Guards
with arms. Committeeman in two
autos followed. The G. A. R. veter-
ans came next, escorted by the Will.
mar Fife and Drum Corp. The Span.
ish American War Veterans were
next in line, and a contingent of Red
Cross women in uniform represented
this great branch Of the War Service.
Then came the veterans of the
World War, soldiers, sailors and mar
ines in three divisions, under the com.
80 toni II,
made fine showing, and were receiv.
ed with applause all along the line
The Willmar Band in good form
brought up the rear.
The line of March and downtown
streets were bedecked with banners
and flags and red, white and blue fes'
tooning. At Fifth and Litchfield a
huge "Welcome" banner fluttered
across the street. At the courthouse
the County Service flag with its sig
nificant number of "l007" proudly told
the number of men furnished from
this county to the World War. AS the
parade passed triumphant arch on
Seminary Hill hundreds of school
girls dressed in white with sashes Of
national colors stood in open ranks
and showered the veterans of three
wars with flowers as they passed.
Above the entrance to the fair
grounds large American eagle with
"Old Glory" in it's claws greeted the
marchers and the stream of people
and loaded autos that followed. :
1t is doubtful If larger number ol
autos or a larger number of people
were ever seen on the grounds.
A dinner rendered the soldiers by
the citizens of Willmar was served a
the pavilion, the serving being done
by committee of ladies from each O.
the local churches, under the direc
ton of Mrs. James SandersOn.
After dinner program was givel
in the auditorium, but only a small
part of the people present could fint
room in the big auditorium.
A large chorus under the direction
of Miss Greenfield sang "The Sta
Spangled Banner" Rev. F. H. Oehle
gave the invocation. The chorus SAN
two more selections. The singing wa
splendid.
The orator of the day was forme
Congressman Clarence B. Miller o
Duluth, who made an eloquent men
orial address. All who heard it pre-
nounced it splendid effort. TIL
meeting closed with the singing O
America" Supt Foster presided a
the meeting.
The soldier boys spent most of tn
time chatting with each other abou
their army experiences. Willmar wa
proud of the opportunity to entertai
the county boys. There are yet man
who have not returned from the ser'
! s1@ nd
ing will no doubt be arranged In tn