LYNN – High winds prevented the planned paratrooper jump, but winds also blew away rain clouds for what organizers and residents described as the best parade in memory and a fitting tribute to military veterans.”It’s amazing what we’re seeing,” said John Sacherski, parade committee chairman and commander of VFW Post 1240 in Swampscott. Sacherski, a Vietnam War veteran who marched in the parade, greeted groups of spectators among the crowd at Lynn English High School, asking if they were enjoying the event. The praise was unanimous and effusiv.”To know the stuff veterans been through and to see them be applauded, and to see people coming from all over,” Sacherski continued To see kids walking around and veterans being proud ? we just couldn’t have asked for more.”The Veterans Appreciation Day Parade included of 10 waves of marchers from approximately 80 groups and was the largest parade in the city in recent memory, if not history, according to several spectators including Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy.”It was a fantastic parade and the weather cleared up,” Kennedy said. “It was just a fantastic day.”Marchers came from throughout New England to participate, and marchers represented each branch of the Armed Services, different historical eras in American military history, area public-safety personnel, color guards and military support organizations.Then of course, there were the active-duty personnel, future members of the Armed Forces who are in the recruitment process, participants in several Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) programs, and the guests of honor: the veterans, who represented conflicts from World War II to Afghanistan. Nearly 20 bands played over the cheers of spectators who thronged along the parade route – in some places crowds were five persons deep.Special guests included Gold Star Families (those who have lost a loved one in military service) state and local dignitaries, members of Wounded Warriors and even retired 3-star generals.The parade began at approximately 1 p.m. from Federal Street at West Lynn General Electric. It proceeded up Western Avenue to Chestnut Street, down to Goodridge Street and then ended at Keaney Park by Lynn English.Many residents along the route had decorated their homes with flags, bunting and messages of thanks.Bonnie and Todd Anderson held a party at their Western Avenue home where friends and family could watch the parade and Bonnie’s father Peter Tuttle march along with his fellow Vietnam War veterans.”We were lucky to be on the parade route so wanted to host as many people we could to see the parade,” said Bonnie Anderson.Peter Tuttle, 69, said he was impressed with the event. “It was great,” Tuttle said. “It was a wonderful turnout from the city.”Maryellen Gilchrist agreed. Her husband, Ross Gilchrist, 70, was a Vietnam-era veteran who met Tuttle at the Chelsea Navy Hospital. Both veterans marched in the parade and were enjoying the party on the home’s porch.”It’s like I remember it as a kid on Veteran’s Day,” said Maryellen Gilchrist, “Everybody would come out and see people and it was just like that.”Cadet First Lt. Vannida Ath, of the Lynn English JROTC, said she was proud to participate.”I feel honored to serve [our veterans] today and to be there for them,” Ath said.Janet Devost attended the parade with three other generations of her family. She said veterans in the family included service members during World War II, Iraq and Afghanistan.”It was the best parade since I’ve been coming to parades in Lynn,” said Devost.Her granddaughter Rebekah Vestal said her kids enjoyed the military reenactors in the parade.”To see the different parts of military history it brings a lot of American history back,” Vestal said. “The kids see it and hear about it in school, and now they get to experience it.”The crowd started to dwindle as word was passed along about 4:30 p.m. that high winds were preventing the planned paratrooper jump. (Kennedy said gusts of approximately 30