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ARMED
FORCES WEEK |
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To comment or request information: pop@ipspress.com
For veterans and other information: National Armed Forces Day Observance April Parade Information and Staff
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May 20, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ARMED FORCES WEEK OBSERVANCE “Preserving Freedom for the Future” will be the theme for the 55th continuous observance of Armed Forces Day in Chattanooga. The weeklong observance is support of America’s military will be highlighted by the parade at 10:30 AM on Friday, May 7. Don Loftis, former superintendent of Hamilton County Schools and a spotter pilot in Vietnam, will be the grand marshal. Keynote speaker for the banquet in the Read House Silver Ballroom following the parade. Parade participants will gather on Market Street between Houston Avenue and M.L. King Boulevard where the parade will begin. It will move north on Market to Third Street, turn west onto Broad Street where it will disburse. A recipient of the Medal of Honor, Gen. Brady spent 34 years in the military. He was there when the Berlin Wall was constructed and he flew a rescue helicopter in Vietnam, logging over 2,000 combat missions evacuating over 5,000 patients. Although Armed Forces Day is celebrated, May 17, the observance is held earlier in Chattanooga to allow local schools to participate. The week’s showcase of military activities will include static displays of military equipment, a boss’s breakfast in the Crystal Room of the Choo Choo at 7:30 AM Thursday, May 6, a VIP reception from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM in the National Guard Armory and a roundtrip to Ross’s Landing at 10 AM on Saturday, May 8, by the Coast Guard cutter the Quachita, by reservation only. Bill Knowles is civilian chairman and Carl Levi serves as military chairman for this year’s event. The US Army is the host unit being honored this year. The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council picked up sponsorship of the observance in 1995. Jim Schull is chairman of the CAVC. Chattanooga is the only city of its size to have held Armed Forces Parades since 1949 after President Harry Truman marked that day for observance. ******** For further information, please contact Bill Knowles at the Hamilton County Clerk’s Office or Carl Levi at the Hamilton County Trustee’s Office.
For further information, go to the website: www.ipspress.com/afdparade.htm. Material on this site is available for use in promotion of the observance.
Armed Forces Day Parade Committee Website provided by IPS and IPS Features
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