VETERANS DAY ACTIVITIES SET.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

MISSION HILLS - Thousands of Los Angeles residents will honor the nation's men and women of the military Friday at a number of Veterans Day events planned citywide.

About 15,000 parade-goers are expected to line Laurel Canyon Boulevard for the San Fernando Valley's second annual Veterans Day Parade, organizers said.

Last year's inaugural event drew a crowd of 10,000 people. This year, the parade will include 100 entries from various organizations, said parade committee member Patty Navarro.

``People get so excited for this parade, because (the San Fernando Valley) has never had one like this before,'' Navarro said. ``It's amazing how thankful the residents and veterans are.''

Veteran Joe Lozano said he was impressed with the committee members' enthusiasm. He called last year's parade the largest and best he's attended.

With more than 2,000 soldiers and Marines killed in the war in Iraq so far, veterans are garnering more attention for their efforts, he said. Lozano, a 70-year-old Mission Hills resident, said more young people are interested in his experiences.

When he sees young people out on the parade routes, it fills him with pride, he said.

``Oh, man, I get a lump in my throat,'' Lozano said. ``I get the young kids now asking, what did you do in the war. Fortunately, I never went to war, but I was serving my country. That alone has always been the greatest feeling in my life.

The 1.2-mile San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade will kick off at 11 a.m. at San Fernando Mission and Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Mission Hills, and end on Paxton Street in Pacoima.

Other events planned for Friday include:

--A Veterans Day program will begin at 10:50 a.m. Friday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley.

--A Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the McCambridge Park War Memorial, at Amherst Drive and San Fernando Road, in Burbank.

--The ``Salute to POWs'' ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles.

--The Malibu Chamber of Commerce and the city of Malibu will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. at Malibu City Hall, 23815 Stuart Ranch Road.

--VFW Post 10040 will hold a Veterans Day turkey dinner at 6 p.m. Friday for a price of $8. The post is at 8548 Lankershim Blvd., Sun Valley.

--Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas will host the third annual candlelight vigil, featuring veterans from six decades of war, at 7 p.m. at the Valley Municipal Building Plaza, 14410 Sylvan St., Van Nuys.

--A special program titled ``Sixty Years after World War II - Remembering the Greatest Generation,'' will be held at 7 p.m. at the Chatsworth United Methodist Church, 10824 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Chatsworth.

--Palmdale's Veterans Day ceremony will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 2200 E. Palmdale Blvd.

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, map

Photo:

(1) Jim Makino, center, and Dr. William Sato, right, fought in the most decorated American combat unit in World War II. Steve Yokoyama, left, representing the U.S. Military Intelligence Service, worked directly with Gen. Douglas MacArthur and was one of the first Americans to inspect the damage caused by the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. The three veterans were among those honored Wednesday during a pre-Veterans Day assembly at Wilson Middle School in Glendale.

(2) Students in the choir at Wilson Middle School in Glendale sing during a pre-Veterans Day assembly on Wednesday.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Map:

Veterans Day Parade