The District of Columbia put on its usual fun-filled and quirky Independence Day parade Thursday ahead of President Donald Trump's much-discussed "Salute To America" festivities featuring military flyovers, military bands, a couple of Bradley Fighting Vehicles and a speech by the commander in chief.
Platoon-sized units from the service branches led off the annual parade, marching crisply behind a phalanx of D.C. motorcycle cops to cheers from the crowds lining Constitution Ave. -- and that was it for the military's contribution to the event.
The rest of the two-hour parade featured high school bands, an Uncle Sam balloon, a birthday cake balloon, clowns, breakdancers, unicyclists, vintage cars and a float with three women recalling the Andrews Sisters of World War II by singing "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me."
The National Park Service doesn't provide crowd estimates, but the throngs lining either side of Constitution Ave. in the swampy mid-90s heat appeared to be bigger than in previous years, possibly because of Trump's promotion of the day.
Those in "Make America Great Again" and "Keep America Great" hats and T-shirts seemed to far outnumber those in "Make America Good Again" gear.
Some of the Trump supporters who agreed to talk to a reporter said that Trump was the only reason they were in town.
Former Air Force Staff Sgt. Ted Angus, a Vietnam veteran, and his wife, Sandy, of Rio Vista, California, said they began planning a trip to Washington as soon as they heard that Trump would be giving a speech at the Lincoln Memorial.
"We came for the parade and to hear from the president," Ted Angus said. Sandy Angus said the criticism from Democrats over Trump's breaking with tradition was just sour grapes "because he's the one that's doing it."
Billy Arrow, 62, of Queens, New York, also said Trump was the draw for him.
"I support the military, and this can mobilize people," he said. "It's America," he said, adding that "It's amazing to me to see how many people hate [Trump]."
The parade ended at about 2 p.m. as storm clouds began to gather over the district.
Trump was set to speak at about 6:30 p.m. in what White House officials have called an address honoring the military branches. It's set to be embellished with military flyovers, including a B-2 stealth bomber, a 747 that is Air Force One when the president is aboard, and the Navy's "Blue Angels" demonstration team.
Following the Lincoln Memorial events, the usual "A Capitol Fourth" concert and entertainment is scheduled to take place at the opposite end of the National Mall near the Capitol, followed by fireworks that Trump has promised will be bigger and more spectacular than ever before.
The Pentagon, the Interior Department, which runs the National Park Service, and the White House have all declined to give cost estimates for the Fourth of July events, but Trump said in a tweet Wednesday that “the cost of our great Salute to America tomorrow will be very little compared to what it is worth."
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
