My dad is in the parade today in the town I grew up in. He's not marching - this year he gets to ride on the float. And he's with the Rotary Club, not the Veterans.
But if he chose, he could march with the WWII vets.
He enlisted in the Navy when he was underage because he didn't want to get drafted and have someone else decide how he should serve.
I've seen pictures of him on the ships - tall, skinny kid, dark hair, shirt off, with his buddies, his smile typically modest, even then.