The New York City Victory Parade of 1946 was held in New York City, United States, on January 12, 1946, to celebrate the victorious conclusion of World War II.[1]
The parade was led by 13,000 men of the 82nd Airborne Division (including the African-American 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion[2]) under General James M. Gavin.[3][4] The 82nd was chosen as the All-American Division to represent the U.S. Army and the end of World War II.[4] The parade also included Sherman tanks and other armored vehicles, such as self-propelled howitzers, and a fly-by of a formation of glider-towing C-47s.[5] The 82nd also participated in the September Berlin Victory Parade of 1945.[6]
In preparation for the New York parade, the division mustered and trained three times a day since late 1945, after having finished their garrison duty in Berlin.[7] The division arrived in United States on January 3 aboard the RMS Queen Mary, and continued training for the parade at Camp Shanks.[7]
The parade, beginning at Washington Square, marching up Fifth Avenue, was reported to be four miles long.[3][5] It was a ticker tape parade, and was covered by newsreels of the time.[1] However, Life magazine reported that it was "oddly subdued", and blamed it on the elimination of many military bands by the demilitarization.[4] Government officials witnessing the parade included the New York Governor, Thomas E. Dewey the New York City Mayor, William O'Dwyer, and the former New York City Mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia.[5]
New York was the site of the largest American Victory in Europe Day celebrations.[8] Two months earlier, on 27 October 1945, it also witnessed a naval victory parade.[9]
