IBERIA PARISH (NEW IBERIA) — Communities across the nation paused Tuesday to honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
In New Iberia, residents gathered under the Steamboat Pavilion for the city’s annual Veterans Day Tribute and Ceremony.
The event, featured live music from the Iberia Jazz Band, remarks from local leaders like Parish President Larry Richard, Mayor Freddie DeCourt, and Miss Louisiana, a 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, and more.
“Tonight, we gather here under one flag—the American flag,” Miss Louisiana said during her speech.
She reminded attendees that Veterans Day is more than a date on the calendar—it’s a promise to honor those who have served and continue to serve.
“You are the shining examples of what our country is about, of what our community’s about, and we can’t thank you enough,” Mayor Freddie DeCourt said.
Among the many veterans in attendance was Allen Antoine, who served during the Vietnam War in 1971 and 1972.
“We’ve been wanting something like this for years — to be recognized — so now that they’re doing it, I kinda appreciate it,” Antoine said.
For veterans like Antoine, the holiday brings mixed emotions.
“See, I suffer from PTSD,” he said. “But I’m coping with it, and everything seems to be getting better every day.”
Antoine added that the best way to make a veteran’s day is through acknowledgment and gratitude.
“When we got back in the early ’70s, we weren’t appreciated,” he said. “Now, it feels very, very good to be appreciated.”
