On Saturday at Crescenta Valley Park the community is invited to celebrate Armed Forces Day with veterans from the American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 1614.

By Mary O’KEEFE

The Fifth Annual Armed Forces Day car show, which takes place on Saturday, May 21 at CV Park will this year be in memory of one of the Posts’ own, Roy Allmon, USAF.

“Roy was very supportive of veterans and one of our key guys for our projects,” said Gerry Collins, American Legion. “He was a leader and a great guy.”

Allmon served in the U.S. Air Force from 1958 to 1964 and was an active member of the American Legion, VFW and Kiwanis and supported several organizations throughout the area, especially those that supported veterans and children.

Those who participate in the Armed Forces Day car show will compete for awards in 14 different categories with a special award presented in Allmon’s name for “best of show.” His family members will be the judges for this award.

A variety of vehicles will be on display including army jeeps, trucks, hot rods and classic cars. There will also be military vehicles on display as well as vehicles from the Fire Department, law enforcement and Montrose Search and Rescue. In addition to the car show there will be food trucks, vendors and music by Inferno.

All this is to recognize Armed Forces Day, which actually predates by five years Veterans Day on Nov. 11. Armed Forces Day was established in 1949 as a day to celebrate all branches of service at once, as opposed to the previous Army Day, Marine Corps Day, Air Force Day, Navy Day and Coast Guard Day.

It was just a few years earlier in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act into law. The Act unified the four branches of the military under a single executive authority, the Secretary of Defense. The decision led to the creation of the National Military Establishment, according to the govinfo.gov.

On March 18, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed the Presidential Proclamation officially declaring Armed Forces Day a national holiday.

“Our service men and women are serving throughout the world as guardians of peace – many of them away from their homes, their friends and their families. They are visible evidence of our determination to meet any threat to peace with measured strength and high resolve. They are also evidence of a harsh but inescapable truth – that the survival of freedom requires great cost and commitment, and great personal sacrifice,” President John F. Kennedy said in his 1963 Armed Forces Day speech.

The event is sponsored by the American Legion Post 288, VFW Post 1614, Moose Lodge #641, Outlaw Garage, Early Rodders, Rydell Chevrolet, Pinnacle Disposal, La Crescenta Pharmacy, the band Inferno and Harmony Farms.

For those who would like to display their vehicles the entry fee is $30 the day of and $25 for advance signup. For more information and for the entry form, visit https://www.vetspost288.com/armed-forces-day-car-show.

For participating vehicles the gates open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 9:30 a.m. The general public is invited to visit the event at no cost from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Crescenta Valley Park is located at 3901 Dunsmore Ave.