Music filled the air, members of the military, walked the downtown Tulsa streets in formation, and small flags waved throughout the crowd.

"It's just a very emotional day for me," Russell Smith said.

The Tulsa Veterans Day Parade. A day, and an event, meant to honor those that served like Smith, a veteran of the Vietnam War.

"I was drafted in 1967, and I went to infantry in Fort Polk," Smith said. "And 13 days after that, I was in Vietnam."

Smith, an Army veteran now 78 years old, calls celebrations like this parade bittersweet.

"It's very emotional because we lost so many young guys over there that didn't get to participate in stuff like this," Smith said. "So a lot of time, it brings tears to my eyes."

The teary eyed vet standing right next to the Sudduth family. It's become tradit

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