Torrance honors military during day 1 of annual Armed Forces Day celebration
The 62nd annual Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18. The celebration will continue Saturday and Sunday.
The 62nd annual Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade and Celebration got underway on Friday, May 17, with the 100,000 people expected to attend the three-day ode to the U.S. military.
And U.S. Army Spc. Spec. Christian Viveros, 22, is excited to take it all in for the first time.
The tank gunner and loader stood by a 82,000-ton 1A2 Abrahms main battle tank parked at the Del Amo Fashion Center on Friday.
On Friday, Viveros and his team helped civilians clamber up the tank, explained how to drive it (more like a motorcycle than a car) and posed for photos. They will also be at Saturday afternoon’s city-sponsored military parade, which will be the highlight of the weekend — and one of the few in the nation sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Defense. The parade, which this year will highlight the U.S. Space Force, will begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Crenshaw Boulevard and traveling west along Torrance Boulevard to Madrona Avenue.
“As a first-timer here, I’m excited to see the major impact the military makes in the community, that I’m doing something good for my country, that I’ve been called to serve,” Viveros said. “And also, I’m here to have a good time, knowing the relevance of Armed Forces Day in Torrance.”
U.S. Armed Forces Day takes place annually on the third Saturday in May.
Viveros said he first enlisted in the Army at 18 to better himself and help his family. The solder, a son of Mexican immigrants and a first-generation American, signed up for six more years of service in 2023. He is attached to the 1-11 Armored Calvary Regiment.
“I grew up with the movie ‘Top Gun’ and I thought that’s what it’s like to join up,” he said. “And now I know it’s harder but it’s also better.”
All six branches of the Armed Forces were represented at the outdoor mall exhibition: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. The newest, the U.S. Space Force, marks its fifth anniversary this year. Torrance’s police and fire departments were also part of the display.
Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant, who leads Space Systems Command, will serve as parade grand marshal, with NASA astronaut Col. Michael S. Hopkins stepping up as honorary grand marshal. Hopkins, who has made two trips to the International Space Station, will be at the Del Amo Fashion Center expo from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday.
Engineer Greg Pierson of Redondo Beach serves in the civilian ranks of the U.S. Space Force. On Friday, he showed off space debris, talked people through America’s history in space, explained how this newest branch of the military operates under the Department of the Air Force — and gave out stickers and pins.
The Space Force’s motto is “Semper Supra,” or “always above.”
Among Friday’s visitors were Buzz Harper and his wife, Andrea Hayashi, who walked their greyhound, Holly, through the exhibits and military vehicles. Buzz Harper explored the cockpits of tanks, a Blackhawk helicopter and an ambulance, questioning soldiers on everything from protective clothing to grenade launchers.
“I’m a 30-year-resident of Torrance and this is my first time here,” Harper said. “But the parade is at the end of the block for us. I enjoy everything, even though there are a lot of booms for Holly. There are tons of people you meet. I get to talk to the police manning the barricades. It’s really awesome.”
The display of military assets at Del Amo Fashion Center, along Madrona Avenue, will continue from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.
The joint service celebration is all about home for Staff Sgt. Han Myungwoo, an Army recruiter based in Torrance.
“I remember playing the clarinet in the parade when I was at Adams (Elementary) and then Hull and Madrona middle schools,” Myungwoo said. “And I joined right out of high school. My family was supportive when I explained that (military service) is just a different option from college.”
While enlisted, Myungwoo said, he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and two master’s degrees, one in legal studies and another in human resources management.
“I tell people there are so many benefits to joining the military, that most jobs don’t require combat,” he said. “The question is, “Are you willing to use all these benefits to make yourself a better person?”
Reanna Kiyomura, retail service manager at Kinecta Federal Credit Union, led 10 volunteers from the bank’s two Torrance offices in serving a pulled pork, tri-tip and sausage barbecue lunch for the assembled military members and guests on Friday.
“This is just us thanking them for all they do,” Kiyomura said. “From the troops to the police and fire departments, and even the community, it’s great just to be able to get everyone together and celebrate.”
Besides the celebration and the parade itself, there will also be a ramp review for the procession from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Western Museum of Flight, 3315 Airport Drive, in Torrance. Admission is $8 and includes a meet-and-greet with pilots and a prime view of warbirds as they taxi out and line up to fly over the parade at 1:15 p.m. For more information, call 310-326-9544 or visit wmof.com.