Christmas Eve road march in NY honors deployed service members, WWI history

By Spc. Andrew Valenza, New York National Guard
via the army.mil web site

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. -- New York National Guard Soldiers, Airmen, families and community supporters made up more than 1,200 marchers here Dec. 24 as part of a Christmas Eve Road March to remember the service of past and present troops overseas.

Led by soldiers in WWI Doughboy uniforms, N.Y. Army National Guard Soldiers and civilians march through Glens Fall, N.Y., Dec. 24, 2017. Soldiers and families of service members participated in Sgt. First Class (retired) Arthur Coon's Christmas Eve Road March to honor men and women currently deployed, who cannot celebrate the holidays with their families. (Photo Credit: Pfc. Andrew Valenza)This was the 14th time that people turned out for what's become an annual event, organized by retired Sgt. 1st Class Arthur Coon, a former New York Army National Guard member.

"We began this event in 2004 with just 10 people starting at the Glens Falls Armory," Coon told the crowd before the march began from the Cool Insuring Arena in downtown Glens Falls. "I would never have thought it would grow to the size we have today," he said.

The Christmas Eve Road March was first held for the New York Army National Guard's Company C, 2nd Battalion, and 108th Infantry when the unit was deployed to Iraq over Christmas.

Coon got together with some local Soldiers to conduct a road march in their honor starting and finishing at the Glens Falls armory.

The event has grown every year since, and now includes local veteran organizations, the Association of the U.S. Army, Gold Star Families and community supporters.

"We wanted to make sure they knew we hadn't forgotten them, at this time when we could be sitting at home in our pajamas," Coon said. "To me, [the best part] is the core of the event, sending a message to those deployed, or someone currently serving, it's good for them to know that we remember them."

This year's road march included Soldiers in khaki leading the march instead of the more commonplace camouflage. A special contingent of New York Army National Guard Soldiers from the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters, based in Troy, led the road march in replica WWI uniforms, commemorating the service of New York's Doughboys of WWI and remembering their arrival in France in 1917 for combat service.

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