Sea Of Red, White And Blue: Cheyenne Salutes Military In America's 250th Parade

CHEYENNE — Aiden Gunn knows exactly why this year’s Fourth of July is such a big deal across America.

“This is when everyone celebrates ME with fireworks,” the 12-year-old said with a cheeky grin. “At least it kind of feels that way.”

That he shares a birthday with the United States is a bonus, he said. They’re only 238 years apart.

Celebrating his birthday, along with America’s 250^th, brought Gunn and his family to downtown Cheyenne on Saturday morning for a special Fourth of July parade.

Wyoming’s capital city usually doesn’t have an Independence Day parade, instead going all-out for the annual Cheyenne Frontier Days Parades, which are July 18, 21, 23 and 25 this year.

Aiden also has his 9-year-old sister Rebeka Gunn beat by a day — her birthday is July 3.

‘These Freedoms’

Celebrating America on a landmark anniversary wasn’t lost on the enthusiastic and patriotic crowd, most dressed head-to-toe in red, white and blue, and stars and stripes.

Walter Lorenzo also proudly wore his military service baseball cap, announcing the presence of a Vietnam veteran.

Now 79, Lorenzo was a young man when he was deployed to serve during the Vietnam War in 1967-1968. He was one of hundreds to stake out a good parade-watching spot hours in advance.

He said the Fourth of July means much more than barbecues, and he was pleased that Saturday’s parade had a heavy military presence, including eight stars’ worth of generals.

“We like patriotism and all the military in these parades,” said the Army veteran. “This is great that they have this and that people are really into it.”

Lorenzo also said he hopes the kids at the parade remember all the soldiers and vehicles that march and roll by.

“They can see how important the military is — unfortunately, sometimes — and the reason they have all these freedoms,” he said.

His wife Theresa, 73, also lamented how fast time flies, saying she marvels that it’s been 50 years since America celebrated its 200^th bicentennial birthday.

“I can’t believe it’s been 50 years,” she said. “I still remember doing the bicentennial thing, but it doesn’t seem like that much time has passed.”

Along with being grateful for living in the United States, Theresa said she’s almost as thankful to be in Wyoming.

Asked when the couple moved to the Cowboy State, she said it was exactly “on Aug. 21 at 3:02 p.m.”

Where’d they come from?

“Brooklyn, New York,” she said in almost a whisper. “But don’t tell anyone that. We’re ashamed.”

‘Coolest One Here’

About 20 feet south on Carey Avenue, Brehanna Fisher was busy wrangling four young children ahead of the parade, all in their best red, white and blue — even if they’re not yet old enough to fully understand the 250^thmilestone.

“One day you all will appreciate this when you’re older,” she commented while trying to take photos of fussy and distracted kids.

Young Knightson Fisher, 3, was a walking tribute to the USA, sporting bug-eyed sunglasses and cruising around on a little red scooter.

“Man, that kid’s the coolest one here,” another paradegoer commented loudly, drawing laughter from those within earshot.

“I agree,” mom Brehanna said. “I also think he’s the coolest.”

The military brought the Fisher family to Cheyenne, and parades like Saturday’s are prime opportunities “to make memories,” she said.

At Least He Wore A Shirt

At the corner of 19^th Street and Carey Avenue, Kyler Bennetts was amped up for the Fourth of July and the parade.

Wearing new America-themed overalls, near the top of his mind was whether the T-shirt underneath would stay on for the duration.

“I guess I have to stay ‘downtown appropriate,’” he said, adding that going shirtless probably wouldn’t turn many heads in Cheyenne.

Jokes aside, he observed much of downtown being closed tight for the parade “makes it feel like the old movies when the whole town shuts down,” he said.

Standing next to him, Becky Hoover — “like the vacuum or the president” — said they “might celebrate a little harder” for the Fourth of July “because we have a lot of military in our family.”

After the parade, they had planned a large barbecue with family and friends. Whether the kids at the barbecue would celebrate as enthusiastically as their parents was doubtful, Bennetts said.

“That’s because it’s cellphone- and tablet-free,” he said. “None of that’s allowed.”

‘Celebrate It’

The Brazeltons were represented by three generations, but the family matriarch Amy was the only one of the bunch who was around to remember the bicentennial in 1976.

“Don’t remind me,” she said. “Yeah, I definitely remember it. I was 19 or 20 at the time.”

She said that five decades removed from then, she has a deeper appreciation for the USA and what the Fourth of July means.

“Now I can see my grandchildren see the 250^th,” she said. “That makes it special. I can remember where I was when it dawned on me what bicentennial really meant.”

Son Ben was gung-ho for the Fourth.

“This is the 250^th birthday, and America is an amazing place and something to celebrate,” he said. “You can’t do nothing less than celebrate it.”

Arayia Brazelton, 6, could sense the excitement. When asked what the Fourth means, she pointed to the fireworks on her Fourth-of-July-themed Capri-Sun juice pouch.

Arayia loves sparkers, her grandmother clarified, adding that “she calls them ‘fairy wands.’”

Then, The Parade

The parade itself was relatively short at 35 minutes, but had a distinct military theme.

Columns of military servicemen and women marching in perfect formation and sounding off cadences drew the loudest cheers.

There were the usual politicians waving and handing out candy, along with plenty of horses and hogs — aka Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Although the spring school term is long over, Cheyenne’s high schools were still in practice with their marching bands, with more music from a group of fiddlers and a ripping rock band.

While there was little law enforcement in the parade itself, there was a considerable presence in and around downtown Cheyenne. That includes at least three officers with K-9s walking along the route.

Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.