Military Equipment Rumbles Into Capital for Victory Celebration
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WASHINGTON — Heavy equipment rumbled through the streets of Washington Thursday as armored trucks, tanks and military aircraft began taking up positions for the nation’s official Desert Storm homecoming celebration.
Washington will be inundated with military equipment and soldiers by Saturday morning, when Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf will lead about 8,800 Desert Storm troops down a 2.5-mile parade route beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Rolling along with the troops will be 130 pieces of military equipment from all of the services, including the Patriot missile.
As the parade comes to an end, more than 80 aircraft from all four services and the Coast Guard will take part in a 15-minute flyover. The rest of Washington’s day of hoopla will include a picnic for the troops, a blocks-long stationary display of military equipment in the Mall, a star-studded USO show and the largest fireworks display that, reportedly, Washington has ever seen.
It is being billed as the National Victory Celebration, the country’s official “thank you” to the troops.
Organizers are expecting between 600,000 and 800,000 spectators to flood the area around Constitution Avenue and the Mall.
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