Armed Forces Week Celebration

Armed Forces Week Celebration Committee held its final meeting May 10, 2002. A critique meeting will be held by committee members on Wednesday, June 7, at 11 AM in the Crystal Room of the Choo Choo.

Tuskegee Airmen Parade Grand Marshals

Chattanooga lived up to its name as the Most Patriotic City in America with the 53rd annual Armed Forces Day Parade Friday, May 17, at 10:30 AM. No other larger city in the country has had a continuous parade since creation of the observance by President Harry Truman in 1949.

The parade was the highlight of the Armed Forces Week Observance from May 13 to May 18. Sponsorship was taken over by the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council in 1995.

The famed Tuskegee Airmen served in the Grand Marshal role. Surviving members of the group attending were Robert Brown, Norris Connally, Alvon Johnson and Hiram Little.

This year the US Marine Corps was recognized as the host branch of service. Keynote speaker was Maj. Gen. Stephen P. Johnson, USMC, at the luncheon following the parade in the Silver Ballroom of the Read House. He is Director, Manpower Plans Division, Manpower and Reserve Affairs Dept.

Each table at the luncheon had an available seat for a military person in uniform to dine free. The menu included chicken.

The Air Force Band participated in the parade and performed for other events over a three-day period. The Marine Corps Band could not attend. Department of Defense policy calls for only one military band to take part for a specific event.

A VIP reception was held in the National Guard Armory at 6:30 PM on Thursday, May 16. Military dress was Class B and civilian attire business.

Staging for non-military or non-marching units was at VFW Post 4848 on Riverside Drive. Participants merged at Riverfront and Chestnut to follow the same route as last year. Don Welch was the announcer for units passing the reviewing stand.

Flyover scheduled by the Thunderbirds at 10:30 AM for the start of the parade was cancelled due to scheduling problems. Capt. Dale Snodgrass flew over in a F-86 jet and Peter OHare piloted a T-34 (prop).

There were no school bands participating this year due to conflicting graduation schedules.

Lt. Gen. Charles H. Coolidge, Jr., USAF, as ranking officer was the reviewing stand officer. He is the son of Medal of Honor recipient Charles H. Coolidge of Chattanooga who attended to attend the luncheon. Desmond Doss, another Medal of Honor recipient in the Chattanooga area, also attended. Both were at the VIP reception..

Visiting military dignitaries in addition to generals Johnson and Coolidge were Maj. Gen. Julian H. Burns, Jr., USA, Rear Adm. John Debbout, USNR, and Cmdr. Mathew Miller, USCG.

Call to order at the luncheon was by Brig. Gen. Carl Levi, USAR. Pledge of Allegiance was led by Maj. Morgan Adams, USMCR, and Katie Park sang the National Anthem accompanied by James P. Wilson.

James King, chairman of the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council, gave the welcome. Introduction of military guests was by Maj. Adams and Judge Bob Summitt recognized civilian guests.

Lee Anderson introduced the guest speaker.

The weeklong observance began on May 11 at 10:30 AM when the Coast Guard Cutter the Ouachita left the station on Harrison Pike and took guests to Ross’s Landing. The cutter was available for tours over the weekend before returning to base on Monday.

Static displays and other features marked the celebration.

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
PO Box 24984
Chattanooga, TN 37422

Photos by Pete Chaney, IPS Features, unless otherwise indicated.

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