Astronaut And Korean War Air Force Vet Buzz Aldrin To Lead 2017 NYC Veterans Day Parade

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War, will be the Grand Marshal for the 2017 New York City Veterans Day Parade - the largest commemoration of service in the nation - marching up Fifth Avenue Saturday, November 11, starting 11:00 a.m. at Madison Square Park (26th Street & Fifth Avenue).

The U.S. Air Force, 70 years old this year, is the featured service for the 99th annual Veterans Day Parade. The parade, produced by the United War Veterans Council (UWVC), will be preceded by a memorial ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. with a wreath-laying, flag-raising, 21-gun salute and Taps, at the Eternal Light Flagstaff in Madison Square Park.

About 40,000 veterans, Active Duty military personnel, marching bands and veterans' supporters march past 500,000 spectators. The parade is broadcast live noon - 3 p.m. on WPIX-TV 11 and the American Forces Network. It will stream live on the WPIX website, TaskandPurpose.com and Military.com. Tribune's South Florida television station, WSFL, also will air the live parade broadcast.

2017 Parade sponsors include JP Morgan Chase & Co., UWVC Recycling, Cushman & Wakefield, A&E Networks/HISTORY, Wounded Warrior Project and First Data. Obtaon more information and Engage online at www.uwvc.org / FB / Twitter using #NYCVetsParade, #4RVets, #TogetherForward and #VetsDayUSA.

A Veterans Unity Resource Expo, featuring organizations which serve veterans, takes place from noon to 4:00 p.m. at 4 West 43rd Street.

Directions: To get to Madison Square Park by subway take the N or R trains to 23rd St. and walk to Fifth Ave. The Parade can be viewed along Fifth Ave. from 26th - 53rd Streets.