Vets honor the fallen on Memorial Day in Milwaukee: "I'm a Marine from 17 until I die"



MILWAUKEE -- Fallen service members were honored in Milwaukee on Memorial Day, May 29th during the annual Milwaukee Memorial Day Parade.

The parade and pageantry kept the interest of those too young to know the meaning behind it.

Milwaukee Memorial Day Parade



George Banda said every day is a day to remember.

George Banda



"I'm glad to be home and take this day and every day to remember my buddies who didn't make it home," Banda said.

Banda served in Vietnam as a combat medic from 1969 to 1970.

"Took a lot of casualties on May 6, 1970 and I was fortunate enough to make it through that," Banda said.

Larry Farkas



Larry Farkas was in motor transport in Vietnam, bringing food and supplies to those in the field.

"I had 10 years in the Marine Corps. I was 17 and it was not a good place to be, but I'm a Marine from 17 until the day I die," Farkas said.

Farkas and Banda were just two veterans who paid respects to those killed in combat and those still missing.

Milwaukee Memorial Day Parade



"I love every brother that's there. I don't care what his service -- I'm always looking out for him," Farkas said.

This year's parade was the 152nd in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Memorial Day Parade



Milwaukee Memorial Day Parade



"I thought about what a deep sense of gratitude that I have for those men and women who have given their all for us to be here," Joe Campbell said.

There are 186,000 U.S. military currently deployed in more than 140 countries -- and many in Milwaukee on Memorial Day prayed for their safe return.