In its 45th year, Torrance will be celebrating the women and men of the American military in the Armed Forces Day Parade Saturday.

The parade started in 1960 as a tribute to friends and fellow Americans who had served in the Armed Forces and has since grown over the years.

This parade has the distinction of being the longest running military parade sponsored by any city in the nation.

“We are expecting anywhere from eight thousand to ten thousand spectators this year,” Lt. Brad Wilson of the Torrance Police Department said.

Among the many that will march in the parade include: the precision Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle drill team, high school bands and drill teams, Junior ROTC marching units and the U.S. Army Cavalry.

The parade will even ascend to the sky when flyovers by the Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard Helicopters take place.

A guided missile destroyer (USS Decatur) is also scheduled to visit Torrance Friday through Sunday.

The ship, with a crew of 300 sailors, will arrive Thursday and will be anchored off on the South Bay coastline.

There will also be an array of military exhibits inside and outside the Del Amo Fashion Center on the north side. The military displays will be open to the public on Friday through Sunday.

The parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. and will end at 3:30 p.m. The route will run along Torrance Boulevard, starting from Crenshaw Boulevard then going west to Madrona Avenue.

“This parade has no political affiliation. It simply offers the city the opportunity to honor the women and men who have served our country in the past and in the present,” Wilson said.