I was told late last spring that the John Basilone Parade in Raritan is the largest Marine Corps parade in the world. I didn’t believe this until I saw so many Marines (and plenty of service members from all branches of the military) in one place this weekend! I truly felt privileged to have been selected by the parade committee to document this year’s events in photographs.

I’m hoping to put together a slide show of my images with music provided by the Marine Corps Band at Quantico, Va. (That’s a subtle reminder for my band contacts, in case they’re checking out my Web site!) The band was easily the best marching band I’ve ever heard. (I marched clarinet through my four years at the University of South Carolina, so I’ve heard quite a few marching bands!)

And the concert on Saturday night was so moving, it brought many people in the appreciative audience, a packed house, to tears.

The town came out in droves for the parade on Sunday, despite some rain, and the threat of severe thunderstorms.

And while there was never any actual thunder, the Marines brought a cannon, and they weren’t afraid to use it!

The statue was the central figure of the post-parade ceremony where wreaths were laid in memory of Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone.

Brigadier General John F. Kelly was the speaker at the ceremony honoring Sergeant Basilone, a Marine from Raritan who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for holding off the Japanese at Guadalcanal during World War II. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the parade honoring the local hero. General Kelly’s speech revolved around what he would say if by some miracle he could meet GySgt. Basilone face to face.

You know how when you listen to military speeches, your mind tends to wander off sometimes and you start to think about what’s for dinner, well, that wasn’t the case with General Kelly’s speech. I wish I had a copy of it because it was a Hollywood speech, well written, and delivered as though Spielberg himself were directing.

After the speech, the General checked in with Mrs. Kelly. So sweet.

And then came the big shock. Out from the bushes, Marines stormed the grounds while firing weapons and shouting.

The ambush culminated in an Iwo Jima reenactment, and perhaps, a few heart attacks among the surprised spectators.

GySgt. Basilone was killed in combat on Iwo Jima. The tribute to his dedication in the fight for freedom is symbolic of the sacrifices made by so many, yesterday and today. (I’m especially proud of this picture of the Iwo Jima reenactors reaching up to the statue. To me, it is symbolic of the debt of gratitude we all owe to guys like John Basilone.)

Be sure to check back in a few days for the slide show with many more pictures and some (hopefully) VERY special music!

And to all the Marines, friends and Raritan residents who were so gracious to me this weekend, thank you! It was my pleasure to be there.

The original plan for this fun family shoot was for Paige and John to sit it out. I was SO happy that I convinced them to play along and get in some shots. What child doesn’t have a great time when mom and dad are giving their full attention? And since I love taking pictures of people in their natural smiles, I couldn’t have had a better time!

The new band, Funk Thunder, will be coming out with a CD soon. They asked if I might be able to come up with a few pictures. SO MUCH FUN!

Thanks to the Forum Theater in Metuchen, for lending us their classic sign!

Steve is the lead singer (so funky) and Joe is the chief musician, writing all their neo-pop music with a 60’s twist.

(It’s a good thing I love “The Captain” so much. I’ve listened to that song about 450 times in the last two days to get the timing worked out. Everybody in the house loves it! You guys ROCK! If you ever need pictures again, be sure to call me. I love photography almost as much as I love music!)

Carol, left, met friends for lunch at Pierre’s in Morristown to celebrate her birthday. I was called in to document the faces and the laughs. I loved this job! To see women who have bonded over the years reminiscing about playdates, and talking in depth about their joys and fears was heartwarming and wonderful. I hope the ladies didn’t mind the intrusion of my camera, because I felt honored to have been invited to share in Carol’s special day.

Bradley, Gregory, Kathryn, Elaine and I went to Dorney Park today. None of us had ever been before, and we all had a BLAST! (Too bad Mike couldn’t come with us. Boo hoo.)

(That’s Elaine. She’s riding the carousel while we’re riding the ferris wheel.)

CLICK HERE to see the slide show!

Oh yeah, in case you’re wondering, there’s a bunch of pictures of the Monster ride because there was a “medical situation.” Bradley and Kathryn were stuck in the high part for about a half hour while the medics got things under control. When our kids finally made it to the ground and off the ride, did they moan and complain? NO WAY! They ran back in line to ride it again!