Flag raising and a parade were among the observances Friday as the Vineyard paid quiet tribute to veterans near and far.
The morning parade in Oak Bluffs was a multigenerational affair, led by an Oak Bluffs motorcycle officer and an honor guard of three young Coast Guardsmen dressed in crisp blues.
The parade began at Lake avenue and wound its way to Ocean Park.
In the middle was a large group of veterans — Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines were all represented. Young and old, they chatted together on the sidewalk before Dukes County Veterans Services officer Randy Dull called them to attention, and they lined up on the road.
Finally, there were the scouts, Martha’s Vineyard troop 90, also in uniform, from Tiger Scout up through Webelo. There was some argument, before they got into formation behind the vets, about who would hold the honor of carrying the flag; there was no shortage of volunteers.
“Coast Guard, march! Veterans, march!” Mr. Dull said, then kept the pace with a steady mantra: “Left, left, left right. Left, left, left right.”
All down Circuit avenue, a crowd had gathered to applaud the parade. Other veterans who elected not to march stood in the crowd.
The march ended at the World War I memorial in the seaside park overlooking Nantucket Sound on a mild, breezy overcast day. The sound was calm and flags snapped in the wind. Vineyard Haven American Legion Post 257 commander Jo Ann Murphy went to the front to introduce the speakers.
David Berube served as chaplain and led the group in prayer. “We pay tribute to all our veterans, who answered the call to duty during peace or war, at home or around the world, on the battlefield and at sea and in the sky, and in hospitals and offices and warehouses,” he said. “And we are grateful for the service of our veterans families, who watched and waited at home.”
Mary MacDonald then sang the national anthem, and Mr. Dull read a statement from Gov. Charlie Baker.
A wreath was placed at the monument, and the honor guard shot off three blasts into the air.
A somber performance of Taps ended the ceremony.
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