It marked the return of the entire battalion to the front lines of the parade, following their deployment to the Horn of Africa last year. The parade also marked the first and last Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations on the streets of New York for some of the Fighting 69th Soldiers. Master Sgt. Robert Walsh, an infantryman assigned to the 69th’s Delta Company, joined the unit in the late 1990s. He estimated he’s marched in 25 parades. After 38 years of military service, Walsh is retiring, making this year’s parade his last.
