POW among Freeport parade marshals

Bernard Rader, a veteran of World War II who was a German prisoner of war, is one of two grand marshals in the Freeport Memorial Day Parade.

The Village of Freeport and the William Clinton Story Post 342 American Legion are sponsoring the parade and an observance service beginning at 10 a.m. Monday.

The parade route begins at Freeport High School and proceeds to West Merrick Road, ending in front of the Freeport Memorial Library at 144 W. Merrick Rd.

The observance service will begin immediately after the parade.

Rader, 87, a Freeport resident and member of the Jewish War Veterans, will serve as marshal with Kenneth Combs, a Freeport resident and former commander of the Freeport VFW and Freeport American Legion. Combs served during the Korean War.

Rader also received the French Legion of Honor in 2007 from French President Nicolas Sarkozy. It will be his first time in the Freeport parade.