Branford’s annual Veteran’s Day Parade, one of just a handful in the state, is set to take place this year on Sunday, Nov. 10 with a ceremony at 1 p.m. on the Branford town green; immediately followed by the parade stepping off at approximately 1:30 p.m. Community members are encouraged to come out and show their support of military veterans.

“This parade is in honor of all veterans: living, deceased, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation,” said Branford Veterans Parade Committee Chairman John Fitzgerald, CAPT, USCG (ret.).

The ceremony’s keynote address will be given by 2024 Veterans Day Parade Marshal U.S. Army veteran Joe Dendas of Branford. Dendas received an Army Expeditionary Medal and an Army Commendation Medal for his service in the military campaign Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, where he served from September 1, 1994 through March 23, 1995.

“I owe much of if not all my personal success in life and in business from the values I learned as being a solider in the United States Army,” said Dendas. “God Bless our military. May we always remember our fallen brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice; and God Bless the United States.”

Dendas enlisted in 1991 to begin his training as an Army Combat Engineer. During his enlistment, Dendas was stationed in Wildflecken, Germany with the 54th Engineer Battalion (Combat Mechanized) as Engineer Support for the 14th Armored Cavalry Division in the Fulda Gap. Dendas also trained at Air Assault School in Fulda, Germany with the 11th Air Cavalry Regiment, the “Blackhorse.” In 1993, Dendas was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina after first attending Army Airborne School, also known as U.S. Army Airborne /Paratroopers “jump school.” At Fort Bragg, Dendas served with the 528th Special Operations Support Battalion. As part of a platoon of Combat Engineers, Dendas provided Combat Engineer Support for the 3rd Special Forces Group. He was deployed to Haitii for Operation Uphold Democracy with the 3rd Special Forces Group, as part of its Combat Engineer Support.

Branford’s 2024 Veteran’s Day Marching units will include military and veterans organizations, Blue Star Mothers, Stony Creek Fife & Drum Corps, Branford Fire Department apparatus, antique cars, Branford High School Band, Branford Town Band, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Take a Vet Fishing, local and state elected leaders, and more.

The Branford Veterans Parade Committee is grateful to its parade participants.

“All your efforts, no matter how big or how small, make the parade special and befitting for those who served our great nation, and is a true credit to our Branford community,” Fitzgerald noted, in correspondence to parade units which he shared with Zip06/The Sound.

The committee hopes citizens of the town will turn out to pay tribute to Branford’s own military veterans and all US military veterans on Nov. 10. The approximate two-mile parade route begins at the Branford town green, heads west on Main Street to North Harbor Street, and then returns back to the green. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony is moved to Branford High School, 185 East Main Street.