By Scott Brinton
The Merrick American Legion, Freeport-Merrick Veterans of Foreign War and Jewish War Veterans led the parade. The Merrick and North Merrick fire departments hosted the procession. And community groups of all sorts took part in the event, from the Ladies Fire Auxiliary and Merrick Kiwanis Club (whose members handed out a thousand American flags) to the elementary, middle and high school bands, Brownies, Cub, Boy and Girl Scouts, the Little Leagues and Police Activities League soccer teams.
This year's grand marshal was Col. Walter Rustman, doctor for the U.S. Air Force's 59th Air Medical Evacuation Group serving troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Rustman is a former Merrick resident with many family members still living in the community.
Also this year, American Legion Post 1280 unveiled an inscription on its memorial in North Merrick dedicated to the late Scott Bandhold of North Merrick, a U.S. Army specialist who died recently in the Iraq war. He was a Calhoun High School graduate.
More photos next week.
