West Duluth Memorial Day Parade honors those who made ultimate sacrifice

DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) -- Memorial Day was recognized across the nation Monday, remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Many spent the day reflecting in different ways, especially in Duluth.

“Memorial Day to us is a day to honor the fallen heroes,” said Master Sgt. Simon Martin, who serves in the United States Air Force. “It’s not about veterans. It’s about people who died serving our country.”

Master Sgt. Martin is originally based out of Omaha, Nebraska.

“When you’re on a base, it hits home a little bit more because of all the memorials that happen on the base,” said Sgt. Martin. “We don’t really have anything like that up here.”

Due to being sent out on recruitment efforts, he spent the national holiday in Duluth.

“We miss out on a little bit of the Memorial Day celebrations the base does,” said Sgt. Martin. “But we get to take part in community events.”

He marched in the annual Memorial Day Parade in West Duluth, honoring fallen soldiers alongside the Twin Ports community.

And although Memorial Day is about remembering those who lost their lives in the line of service, it’s also about celebrating the lives they lived.

That was especially clear as the parade kicked off with a boom.

“If they haven’t done what they did we wouldn’t have the freedoms that we have today,” said Sharon Bergquist, the co-chair of the Duluth Women of Today, which helped organize the parade. “We wouldn’t have the freedom to have a parade, we wouldn’t have many of the freedoms that we are allowed to have in this country if they hadn’t fought and died for us.”

That sense of pride brought thousands of people outside to line the streets in West Duluth.

Each person smiling at the dozens of floats dressed in red, white, and-blue, remembering the different groups that fought for our nation.

“It brings back memories,” said Bergquist. “It’s still a happy occasion to say they served our country; we can celebrate that.”

And, of course, the parade also helps commemorate the families who lost their loved ones.

“It’s important for the families of the people who lost their lives to see stuff like this,” said Sgt. Martin.

The Memorial Day Parade was hosted by the Duluth Women of Today.

The parade came to a close around 1:30 p.m. on Ramsey Street.

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