Clark Memorial Day Parade to Honor Fallen Heroes Today

This release was received from Parade Chair Councilman Al Barr.

On Monday, May 27th 2013, the Township of Clark will again host a patriotic Memorial Day parade to coincide with its annual Memorial Day services that honor “Clark’s Fallen Heroes.”

The parade will step off at 9:30 a.m. from the corner of Westfield Avenue and Nassau Street and will continue to the Arthur L. Johnshon high school where all participants will pass in review at the school entrance. There will be two bands, various Clark sport teams, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and many participants from various Clark organizations. The Clark Fire Dept., Police Dept., Clark OEM, the Clark Emergency Squad, visiting OEM and Emergency Squads, many various departments from the Union County Police and an assortment of Antique Vehicles will all be in the parade.

There is much prior precedent in Clark’s history to honor its war dead with a parade. During World War II the residents celebrated “I Am American Day” originating in 1942 and continuing through the 1950’s.

At the conclusion of those parades, all the participants and observers circled the large wooden board listing the names of those Clark residents who went off to war, called the “Honor Roll”. In 1947 the “Honor Roll” was replaced with our present war memorial monument located in front of Clark’s Arthur L. Johnson High School.

See a list of Clark's "fallen heroes" in our gallery, above right.

Check out our story and photos from last year's parade, which was dedicated to Army Sgt. James Harvey II who died in combat in Afghanistan in June 2011: "Clark Honors Fallen Soldiers at Annual Memorial Day Parade"