UNION, NJ — The township of Union hosted its Memorial Day Parade and Encampment on Monday, May 29, with the parade beginning at 10 a.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building on High Street. The parade featured music from the Uptown String Band, floats, show cars, military units and vehicles. The parade also featured Clydesdale horses, civic and youth organizations and a historic war reenactment.
At 11:30 a.m., there was a Revolution War battle reenactment at Veterans Honor Roll and Memorial Park, followed by a formal program at noon.
The grand marshal for the 2023 Memorial Day Parade was retired Lt. Col. Debbie Skeete Bernard, a graduate from Kean University who was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant. After 25 years, she and her husband, Henry Bernard, had both obtained the rank of lieutenant colonel. After receiving her master’s degree in nursing/public administration in 2001, Bernard received her post-master’s degree in nursing education in 2006 and a master’s degree in health care administration in 2009. Her military education culminated with completing Air War College.
Photos by Steve Ellmore