Memorial Day Parade seeks vets to march or ride
— Photo from Robert Giebitz
History is made: Robert Giebitz, far left, served as master of ceremonies of the Berne Memorial Day Parade in 1965. Now, he will return to be in this year’s parade, as the Kiwanis Club plans to have veterans ride or walk in the parade. Others are, from left: George Van Etten; Rosa Adams, a gold-star mother; Assemblyman Clarence Lane; Buddy David; Alice Cross, a gold-star mother; Rev. John Meyer; and Frank Bahr.
BERNE – For the first time, the Memorial Day Parade in Berne will have veterans marching on Route 443.
Zenie Gladieux, the chairwoman of the Kiwanis Club, has been seeking Hilltown veterans and active duty military members to march in the parade. She has at least five and would like to see more join. She said there are many veterans living in and around the Hilltowns.
“It just seemed like a good idea,” said Gladieux, whose husband is a veteran. “I don’t think we do enough to recognize our veteran community.”
For veterans who would like to ride rather than march, Gladieux said the club has secured at least three personnel carriers (armored vehicles) and one or two Jeeps from a restorer of military vehicles.
Robert Giebitz, a 92-year-old World War II veteran, will be one of those riding rather than marching. Giebitz served in the Army Air Corps from August 1945 to April 1947, where he flew planes in the North Atlantic. Part of a group known as the Weather Squadron, Giebitz flew planes out of Newfoundland to read the weather and communicate with incoming fighter planes if it was safe to fly.
“I live in Guilderland,” he said. “But my heart and soul is in the Hilltowns.”
Giebitz grew up in the Helderbergs, and later helped organize the first Berne Memorial Day Parade in the 1960s, when he served as chairman of the Kiwanis Club. Now, he has returned.
“I figured this is my last,” he said. He recalled how the same parade route is used as in the 1960s, but noted that the town of Knox has since started its own parade rather than participate in the one in Berne. The parade in Berne, ending at the school, used to serve Berne, Knox, and Westerlo.
Giebitz reminisced about an incident in which the sky had been cloudy and there was a fear it would rain, but as the parade began the sun started shining.
Giebitz said he thinks it’s important to have the public see those who served in the military.
“I think it’s an honor,” he said. “It’s a way honoring us vets that have served our country.”
The parade begins on May 29 at 10 a.m. and runs along Helderberg Trail from Turner Road to the Berne-Knox-Westerlo school campus. The town will close that segment of the road from 9:45 a.m. until 11:45 a.m.
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Veterans and active duty members of the military of the Hilltowns or surrounding areas who would like to march in the parade may call Zenie Gladieux at (518) 894-8589 or email her at zeniegladieux@gmail.com by May 20.