NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - The City of North Miami Beach held its annual Veterans Day service.
The event took place Monday morning at All Wars Memorial Park on Northeast 165th Street and 16th Avenue.
Military veterans who served our country through the years were honored, as well as those fallen heroes who fought in World War I.
Dozens of people, including children, took the time to come out and honor the brave men and women who fought over 100 years ago.
“It’s the people who fought for us so we can be free and just to make sure that America is free and not to abuse it,” said Amberly Flores who celebrated Veterans Day.
Forty-year veteran John Petroske said he has seen the face of war, not once but twice. He shared his thoughts on what this day means to him.
“I lived here 37 years, I brought my family up here. I think that the Armistice Day gets lost, has been lost,” said Petroske. “Making Veterans Day was a positive thing to do. We ought to remember we can’t end all wars by fighting a war, but you have to fight it to stay free.”
During the festivities, he even stuck to a personal tradition.
“I’m going to continue a tradition that a Jewish-American World War II veteran has done here for many years who is now no longer with us,” Petroske said, “singing ‘My Buddy,’ which was written right after World War I. It’s very, very popular throughout World War II, and I’m gonna carry out his tradition. It’s in honor of World War II veterans, my father included.”
Aside from tradition, speeches were made and a 21 gun salute was given, all to honor fallen veterans.
Veterans Day events in North Miami Beach were free and open to the public.
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