Dearborn Memorial Day Parade Works To Bring Awareness To Issue Of Veteran Suicides
DEARBORN (WWJ) -- Michigan's longest-running Memorial Day parade marched down Michigan Avenue Monday morning through Dearborn.
Marching bands, firetruck, police cars, antique vehicles and veterans organizations took part in the 92nd annual Dearborn Memorial Day Parade.
This year's event took on a serious tone, as Grand Marshal, country singer and wounded Marine Stephen Cochran told WWJ City Beat reporter Vickie Thomas that suicide among veterans is a concerning issue.
"We've got a mission, we've got brothers and sisters who are dying every day at their own hands," Cochran said. "We are losing upwards of 40 to 50 veterans a day to suicide and this is something that we can stop."
Cochran said he nearly succumbed to suicide after breaking his back and suffering a traumatic head injury in combat.
"[I] beg, beg the civilian population is seek out the information," Cochran said. "We all have computers, we all have access to the information. Go and find out about the local organizations that you can support."
Thousands of spectators lined streets throughout Michigan for Memorial Day festivities, including in downtown Royal Oak for a ceremony that followed the city's parade.
Roger Coddington of the Fraternal Order of Eagles was among those in attendance. He served in the Army during a more tumultuous era of this country's history.
"I served during Vietnam. Unfortunately some of the veterans -- when they came back -- they weren't treated very well," Coddington said. "I got called names and stuff even though I was never there. These guys went there and sacrificed a lot, some of them didn't even come back.
"But to get treated the was veterans were treated then was just wrong," Coddington said.
Coddington said veterans of that era are given better respect today.
The Henry Ford in Dearborn also hosted a ceremony on the Village Green and will participate in a National Moment of Silence at 3 p.m.