Daily News Photo by SEAN McCOY American Legion Patrick U. George Post 90 members march in Charlotte Amalie.

Complete with cotton candy, ice cream and soda, the Veterans Day parade on St. Thomas was more like a festive event than a solemn day of remembrance.

Throngs of residents and some tourists lined the parade route along Norre Gade and watched the V.I. National Guard, Royal BVI Police marching band, American Legion Post 90 and V.I. Police Department lead the way to Franklin D. Roosevelt Virgin Islands Veterans Memorial Park. Students from Charlotte Amalie and Ivanna Eudora Kean high schools' JROTC programs and marching bands performed along the parade route.

On St. Croix, hundreds of members of the community also lined the streets in Frederiksted to watch government officials, National Guard soldiers, veterans and members of Central High's JROTC, Central High's Marching Band, St. Croix Educational Complex's Marching Band, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinders and members of the V.I. Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. march in the annual Veterans Day Parade.

The crowd on St. Thomas swelled to more than 500 along Norre Gade with about half of them remaining behind for the ceremony.

"They came out this year," Harry Daniel, assistant director of the local government's Veterans Affairs Office, said. "By all of our soldiers being deployed made them realize that Veterans Day is something that needs to be remembered."

Daily News Photo by CRISTIAN SIMESCU Legionnaires salute during the national anthem during the Veterans Day Ceremony at Buddhoe Park in Frederiksted.

On Nov. 2, 72 V.I. National Guard soldiers were deployed for a yearlong tour at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

During the program, the flag was ceremoniously raised to full staff marking the end of the official mourning period for those lost in the Nov. 5 rampage in Fort Hood, Texas.

Many local dignitaries expected to attend the St. Thomas event were stuck on St. Croix because of bad weather, Daniel said. Sen. Carlton Dowe, who stood in for Sen. Louis Hill who was also unable to attend, said veterans should always be remembered.

"The people of the V.I. can never thank the veterans enough," Dowe said. "We can never thank them enough for the sacrifice of time away from their families."

Veterans Day is the annual day of recognition for service members - past and present - of the nations armed forces. This is different from Memorial Day, which is set aside to remember those armed forces service members who have died in combat.

The afternoon was filled with the beats of drums and the tunes of the American Legion Post 90 choir. The choral group sang tribute to the fallen soldiers at Fort Hood with their rendition of "Right Hand of God."

Gov. John deJongh Jr. lead the parade on foot and addressed the crowd at the ceremony. He acknowledged that veterans are the unselfish among us.

"These individuals who sacrifice do so to allow us to have the lives that we do have," deJongh said.

Organizer Daniel believes the event is better attended on St. Thomas each year. His offices provided chicken, johnny cakes, meatballs and fish, as well as, a inflatable playground where children could play.

Other groups who participated in the parade march: The V.I. Girl and Boy Scouts of America troops, the St. Thomas-St. John Seventh-Day Adventists Pathfinders, the AY Drum Corp, the V.I. Junior Fire Fighters, VIPD Marching Cougars and the VIPD Police Academy.

In the St. Thomas-St. John District, Veterans Day activities also were scheduled in Coral Bay St. John with a parade and Mini-Agriculture Fair at American Legion Post 131 headquarters, which also serves as the Agriculture Department's Coral Bay station.

On St. Croix American Legion Post 85 Adjutant Raphael Munchez Sr. served as grand marshal and led the parade from the back of a military Humvee, followed closely by Gov. John deJongh Jr. and V.I. Adjutant General Renaldo Rivera. Munchez is a Korean War veteran who was stationed at Naha Air Base in Okinawa at the outbreak of the war.

People lined up along the street waved U.S. and USVI flags, applauded, cheered and yelled out "thank you" as soldiers and veterans marched by on the way to Buddhoe Park.

The 73rd Army Band led the ceremony at the park with the national anthem and V.I. march following the invocation.

American Legion Post 102 Commander Secundino Roman-Cruz said our armed forces are charged with the great burden of protecting us. "We must honor them with deeds not just words," said Roman-Cruz. "We must honor them with compassionate hearts. It is the veterans that have given us this extraordinary country."

Aesha Duval, a spokeswoman for Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, addressed the crowd on behalf of the delegate who is currently in Geneva attending a United Nations forum on minority issues.

"We admire your courage and your willingness to serve," Duval said. "We support you and your loved ones who have endured the pain of separation and who stand proudly with you."

Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, past vice commander of American Legion Post 85 and retired member of the Army and the V.I. National Guard, spoke of the importance of Veterans Day.

"Each year I take pride and privilege to stand before you and celebrate this holiday with you," he said. "Today is especially poignant because of the soldiers that were lost last week in Fort Hood, Texas."

Francis also said we must honor soldiers serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world.

"Let us remember them and pray for their safe return home," he said.

Annie Day Henry, American Legion District 10 service officer and Post 102 vice-commander, closed out the ceremony just before a heavy rainstorm sent all the participants running to their vehicles. "Remember freedom comes with a price and remember those who choose to serve for you," Henry said.

-Contact reporter Ailene Torres at 774-8772 ext. 304 or atorres@dailynews.vi.