Flying the flag south of the border
Canadian Persian Gulf veterans march in Washington
On May 28 five Canadian Persian Gulf veterans marched in the Memorial Day parade in Washington DC alongside American Persian Gulf Veterans.
This year was the first time Canadian Persian Gulf veterans were invited to participate in the Parade.
“What a feeling it is to walk down Constitution Avenue,” says Canadian Persian Gulf veteran and President of Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada (PGVC), Harold Davis, originally from Bell Island.
After having been invited to march in the parade, Davis’ goal was for 20 veterans to go to Washington DC with flags from each of the provinces. However, they were unable to secure funding from the federal or provincial governments. The five veterans were able to participate through the support of Tilley Hats of Canada and a private donation by Natasha Mohr on behalf of her late husband Richard, a fellow veteran.
In Washington DC, the Canadian
“We couldn’t walk
10 feet without someone wanting to stop and take our picture … Just the people on the side of the road was incredible.” Harold Davis, Canadian Persian Gulf veteran and President of Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
embassy provided them with flag bearers who marched on either side of the Canadian veterans who lead the section of Persian Gulf Veterans in the parade.
“We couldn’t walk 10 feet without someone wanting to stop and take our picture,” Davis said about being in Washington DC over the Memorial Day weekend, “Just the people on the side of the road was incredible.”
Some 5,000 Canadian soldiers fought in the Persian Gulf War, all of whom came home, though disease, medication, and posttraumatic stress have claimed the lives of some.
“We’re trying to keep along, and recognition is part of it this (the parade) just fell into our laps,” says Davis about PGVC, a non-profit he started around the 25th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War when he realized it was missing from the national consciousness.
“No veteran really has the same problem,” says Davis about how PGVC seeks to help veterans work with Veterans Affairs Canada, adding, “Working with our group towards helping veterans has been great and so far, we’ve hit 100-percent.”
PGVC operates with volunteers across Canada Davis explained, saying, “We’re trying hard to make sure the veterans who come to us get what they need.”
While in Washington DC, the Canadian Persian Gulf Veterans watched the Ride to the Wall, toured the Canadian embassy, and paid their respects at different war memorials in the city. The five veterans donated $1,000 to the construction of the Desert Storm War Memorial, which has recently been awarded a site on Constitution Avenue.