Branford celebrates Memorial Day Monday, May 30 with ceremonies on the Town Green at 10 a.m. and the parade stepping off at 10:30 a.m. led by 2016 Parade Marshal First Sgt. Paul Hannaway USMC.

First Sgt. Hannaway will speak during ceremonies on the Green which include an opening prayer, National Anthem, the Gettysburg Address, musical selections and two Walsh Intermediate School students reading their winning selections in the annual Thomas Yester Memorial Day Essay contest, organized by the Branford Veterans Parade Committee.

First Sgt. Hannaway enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1997. His service to date has included Operations Desert Fox, Desert Thunder Southern Watch; two Operation Iraqi Freedom deployments and deployment to Helmand Province Afghanistan (2011). First Sgt. Hannaway is currently Inspector-Instructor, Combat Logistics Battalion 25, US Marine Corps Reserve Center, New Haven. He resides in Branford with his wife and three children.

Branford's Memorial Day Parade travels from the town green onto Main Street, west to North Harbor Street and returns to pass the reviewing stand on the green. Military marching units will include American Legion Post 83 (Branford) and Legion Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12106 of Branford and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Among many other units will be Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps, Branford High School Band, Branford Elk's Lodge #1939, St. Mary's School Fife and Drum Corps, Branford Town Band, Branford Knights of Columbus, Branford Lions Club and Totoket Ancient Fife and Drum Corps of North Branford. Members of Branford's Police and Fire Departments as well as Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Brownies will also march.