President Trump wants a parade. I say, let him have it. But let’s do it American style. He’s suggesting an Independence Day event. Terrific idea, but, to avoid the punishing afternoon heat, let’s do the march down Pennsylvania Avenue at about nine in the morning. At the end of the march have the tanks, infantry carriers, and artillery pieces do a right flank march onto the National Mall and join their active-duty and veteran comrades in a “Grand Encampment.”
The precedent for a Grand Encampment in Washington dates back to post-Civil War America when veterans of the “Grand Army of the Republic” celebrated their service by conducting a review down Pennsylvania Avenue. These yearly reviews and encampments lasted well into the 20th century.
Read Next
