Midwest City Resumes Veterans Day Celebration After Four-Year Hiatus

For the first time in four years, Midwest City streets were lined with spectators for its Veterans Day parade.

“Veterans Day means parade day in Midwest City,” City of Midwest City communications and marketing director Josh Ryan said.

The parade has been rained out in 2018 and 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled plans last year.

“We’re so excited that we’ve got a day like this to finally hold this parade for Midwest City,” Ryan said.

“It’s nice. It sure is real, real nice and I enjoyed it,” U.S. Navy WWII veteran George Sanders said. “Went over there to Honolulu and Pearl Harbor and stayed there the whole time.”

Retired U.S. Army Major Ed Pulido served as a Midwest City grand marshal for Thursday’s parade. Pulido’s vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Bakuba, Iraq back in Aug. 2004.

Extensive injuries forced doctors to amputate his left leg. Pulido was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.

“It’s about veterans today and making a difference in their lives,” Pulido said. ”We saw those flags, the red white and blue. People dressed in that attire, but they were also saying, you know what, ‘I’ll, on behalf of a grateful nation, thanks for you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. We will never leave you behind on the field of battle and on the homefront.’”

After the parade, Pulido’s nonprofit, John Daly Major Ed Heart of a Lion Foundation, held an event at Chicken N Pickle. Ten percent of the day’s proceeds went to the foundation.