People began lining the streets of downtown Dallas hours before the 11 a.m. start of the city's annual Veterans Day Parade on the morning of 11/11/11.
Ceremonies began at 10:45 a.m. in front of City Hall, starting with more than 130 recruits taking the Oath of Enlistment. The building and plaza are covered in flags.
The festivities honor everyone who has served in the military, paying special attention to prisoners of war and those missing in action.
World War II Air Force T-38's flew the missing man formation City Hall. Active and retired military members then made their way through downtown in military vehicles, alongside ROTC members and marching bands.
The theme of this year's ceremony and parade is "Remembering Pearl Harbor." To go along with that, the largest group of World War II veterans in the nation -- more than 300 of them -- are gathered in Dallas Friday.
"That connection back in 1941 of the young 20-somethings that came to serve. And some of those aren't here today -- 80-90 years old -- and are very connected to the 20-year-olds of today," said Maj. Gen. James L. Williams, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), referring to the young soldiers who have served overseas since 9/11.
He says, what 9/11 and Pearl Harbor have in common is that both were surprise attacks on U.S. soil.
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Several officials were expected to be in attendance, including Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, and members of Congress Jeb Hensarling, Kenny Marchant and Eddie Bernice Johnson.
