The annual Armed Forces Day parade will be held Friday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. downtown in Chattanooga, which considers itself the “most patriotic city in America.”
The celebration has continued without interruption since President Harry Truman set that day aside Aug. 31, 1949.
Chattanooga is the only large city in Tennessee which has the annual parade and the only one in America in its class to continue the observance.
Each year a branch of service in rotation is focused on for the parade.
The Marine Corps is the branch of service being honored this year.
The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council is sponsor and has served in this capacity since 1994.
Staging area for participants will be on Market Street south of M.L. King. It will move north to Third Street and turn onto Broad Street for disbursement.
A luncheon in the Read House will be held following the parade. Guest speaker has yet to be announced.
Although Armed Forces Day is May 20, the observance is held earlier in Chattanooga to allow school units to participate.
Curtis Adams is parade civilian chairman and Robert Clark serves as military project officer. Ray Belvin is CAVC liaison officer and Capt. Kirk Parsons will be the parade marshal.
A VIP reception is planned for Thursday, May 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the National Guard armory.
The Marine Corps Band from New Orleans will arrive to take part on May 4. A combo from the band will play at the VIP reception and a concert with the full band is set for 7:30 p.m. on May 5 at Highland Park Baptist Church.
JROTC units from area schools will march in the parade under the coordination of Col. Tom McConnell.
Dawn Patton is parade secretary with Dan Loving serving as treasurer. Jim Darling is in charge of the VIP reception and Carl Levi will coordinate the luncheon.
Among those involved are: billboards by Willard Sisson; civic speakers, Mark Parks; historian, David Maul; telephone, John Lopez; advertising and media, Pete Chaney, Earl Freudenberg and Cynthia Fagan; breakfast, Bill Hewitt; military bands, Fsgt. Jessie Smith; military VIPs, Patty Parks; traffic management, Sgt. Jeff Clarke; school bands, Rick Chambers and Joel Denton; buses, William Blake; participation, Mary Smith; reviewing stand, Burt Sawyer; phones, Bob Lahiere; street banners and flags, Ernie Seagle; Marie Corps, Fsgt. Smith; Army National Guard, Msg. Joe Miller and Msg. David Thomas; Coast Guard, BM1 David Musgraves and Coast Guard Auxiliary, Rudy Achata.
Leading participants will be units from military services, area veterans groups, high school bands, patriotic organizations and others.
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