Sunita Williams Leads New York Veterans Day Parade

Indian-American astronaut and retired US Navy captain Sunita Williams served as Grand Marshal of New York City’s 107th annual Veterans Day Parade on 11 November 2026. More than 20,000 participants marched along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.

Parade observances and route

Organised by the United War Veterans Council, the parade is the nation’s largest commemoration of veteran service and coincided with the 250th anniversary of the United States. The procession followed a wreath-laying ceremony in Madison Square Park and ran from East 26th Street to East 48th Street.

Before the parade began, Williams attended the 9/11 Memorial and Museum’s Salute to Service. On the previous day, she joined ceremonial observances aboard the USS San Antonio marking the 251st anniversary of the Marine Corps’ founding.

Williams called the role “an incredible honour” and said her Navy service shaped her and prepared her for later challenges. Before joining NASA, she was a test pilot. She completed three space missions, spending a total of 608 days in orbit, and performed nine spacewalks totalling 62 hours—a record for a woman at the time reported.

Important Facts for Exams

• Naval test-pilot training: Before joining NASA, Sunita Williams trained at the US Naval Test Pilot School and worked in rotary-wing aircraft testing.
• ISS command milestone: Sunita Williams became only the second woman to command the International Space Station, taking charge during Expedition 33 in 2012.
• Marching groups: New York’s Veterans Day Parade includes active-duty officers, veterans’ organisations, junior ROTC members and veterans’ families.