Welcome to the 2012 National Memorial Day Parade Presented by Boeing! The American Veterans Center is honored to have the privilege of organizing this event. Here at the Center, we know that it is essential to honor and remember not only the veterans we have here among us today but especially the many men and women who have died while fighting for our freedom. This parade gives individuals from all over our great nation theopportunitytoexpresstheirgratitudetoourservicemenand women of every generation. Over 3,000 individuals from across the nation will be participating in the parade. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of the individuals, companies and foundations that have generously contributed to defray the financial cost of this parade. We could not do this without our sponsors! A special thanks to the active duty and reserve troops, who are marching in the parade today.We realize that they have given up a three-day weekend to be with us, and we deeply appreciate their participation. Finally, thank you to all those attending the National Memorial Day Parade for being part of this tribute in our nation’s capital. Enjoy the parade! FROM JAMES C. ROBERTS PRESIDENT, AMERICAN VETERANS CENTER I am grateful to all those who have come from across the country to participate in the 2012 National Memorial Day Parade. For many Americans, Memorial Day is a welcome break from work, a time for outdoor barbeques or a day at the beach. But today is first and foremost an opportunity for all Americans to come together and pay tribute to all those who have fought and died in defense of our freedom. It is a day to reflect on the service and sacrifice of these heroes, and to honor those American families for whom Memorial Day is another day of longing for their loved ones. This Memorial Day, the American people pay particular tribute to the generation who stepped forward after the attacks of September 11th, and volunteered to put their lives on the line in far-off lands to protect our nation. Today,we remember the more than 6,400 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who have paid the ultimate price for us to live in safety over the last ten years of war. They and their families have paid a heavy price so that we could be more secure, but because of their sacrifice the torch of freedom burns bright. I am grateful for groups like the American Veterans Center who work to make sure that their memory will endure. Since taking this position, I have written hundreds of letters of condolence to the families of the fallen. It is the hardest part of my job. There are no words that can heal, no sentences that can lessen that loss. I keep the fallen and their families in my heart and in my prayers,and I tell those families that their loved one died to give their fellow Americans a better life. That is the price they paid for us. Let us never forget them and what they have done for this country. As we emerge from a decade of war,we must renew our pledge on this Memorial Day to do all we can to ensure that the sacrifices of our service members and their families are honored, and that those who fell in battle are remembered. As Americans, that must be our charge and our sacred mission not just on Memorial Day,but every day. THE HONORABLE LEON E. PANETTA U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE THE AMERICAN VETERANS CENTER’S PRESENTED BY ADVERTISING FEATURE BY THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER MONDAY, MAY 28, 2012 ★ 2:00 PM Constitution Avenue Between 7th & 17th Streets NW ★ Washington, DC
Transcript
Welcome to the 2012 National Memorial DayParade Presented by Boeing!
The American Veterans Center is honored to have theprivilege of organizing this event. Here at the Center, weknow that it is essential to honor and remember not onlythe veterans we have here among us today but especiallythe many men and women who have died while fighting forour freedom.
This parade gives individuals from all over our great nationtheopportunitytoexpresstheirgratitudetoourservicemenandwomen of every generation. Over 3,000 individuals from
across the nation will be participating in the parade.
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of the individuals, companies andfoundations that have generously contributed to defray the financial cost of this parade.We could not do this without our sponsors!
A special thanks to the active duty and reserve troops, who are marching in the paradetoday. We realize that they have given up a three-day weekend to be with us, and wedeeply appreciate their participation.
Finally, thank you to all those attending the National Memorial Day Parade for beingpart of this tribute in our nation’s capital.
Enjoy the parade!
��������FROM JAMES C. ROBERTSPRESIDENT, AMERICAN VETERANS CENTER
I am grateful to all those who have come from across the countryto participate in the 2012 National Memorial Day Parade. For manyAmericans, Memorial Day is a welcome break from work, a timefor outdoor barbeques or a day at the beach. But today is firstand foremost an opportunity for all Americans to come together andpay tribute to all those who have fought and died in defense of ourfreedom. It is a day to reflect on the service and sacrifice of theseheroes, and to honor those American families for whom MemorialDay is another day of longing for their loved ones.
This Memorial Day, the American people pay particular tribute tothe generation who stepped forward after the attacks of September11th, and volunteered to put their lives on the line in far-off landsto protect our nation. Today, we remember the more than 6,400
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who have paid the ultimate price for us tolive in safety over the last ten years of war. They and their families have paid a heavy price so that wecould be more secure, but because of their sacrifice the torch of freedom burns bright. I am gratefulfor groups like the American Veterans Center who work to make sure that their memory will endure.
Since taking this position, I have written hundreds of letters of condolence to the families of thefallen. It is the hardest part of my job. There are no words that can heal, no sentences that can lessenthat loss. I keep the fallen and their families in my heart and in my prayers, and I tell those familiesthat their loved one died to give their fellow Americans a better life. That is the price they paid for us.Let us never forget them and what they have done for this country.
As we emerge from a decade of war, we must renew our pledge on this Memorial Day to do all wecan to ensure that the sacrifices of our service members and their families are honored, and thatthose who fell in battle are remembered. As Americans, that must be our charge and our sacredmission not just on Memorial Day, but every day.
������ � ������THE HONORABLE LEON E. PANETTAU.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
����������������������������������
NATIONALMEMORIALDAYPARADE
THE AMERICAN VETERANS CENTER’S
PRESENTED BY
ADVERTISING FEATURE BY THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
MONDAY, MAY 28, 2012 � 2:00 PMConstitution Avenue Between 7th & 17th Streets NW � Washington, DC
ADVERTISINGFEATURE
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At homeor abroad,we saluteall of ourveterans.
To join our talented staff, visitwww.dimensionshealth.orgto view current opportunitiesand submit an application*.� ������� �� ������ ��������� �� ������ �� ������������
Prince George’s Hospital CenterBowie Health CenterLaurel Regional Hospital
Bring the whole family to the Newseum this holidayweekend for a day of compelling historical stories, newexhibits, interactive games and more! Don’t miss “EveryFour Years: Presidential Campaigns and the Press,” which
takes you on the campaign trail from William McKinley’s frontporch to the studios of “Saturday Night Live.” Test your social-media savvy in the HP New Media Gallery. Go on a roller-coasterride through history in the “I-Witness!” 4-D experience. Seeincredible displays including original sections of the Berlin Wall,dramatic Pulitzer Prize Photos – even the infamous “Unabomber”cabin. Grab this great Memorial Day deal before it expires!
Bring this discount coupon and receive 50% off generaladmission. Valid May 25-28, 2012, only. Discount appliesto adult, senior and youth admission only and cannot becombined with other offers. Limit 4 per coupon.
As Mayor of the District of Columbia, I am pleased to extend greetings to the National Memorial Day Parade Committee on
the occasion of your Salute to America’s Veterans.
This event honors all military veterans and citizens on the home front and the nation at large. I thank you for dedicating your
time, talent, and energy to make ths occasion a continuing success. I salute all our veterans who have sacrified their lives to
protect our country during wartime and peace. Your service and work is commended.
On behalf of all the residents of the District of Columbia, you have my best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable event.
Vincent C. GrayMayor, District of Columbia
A PROCLAMATION
FROM THE MAYOR OFWASHINGTON, DCTHE HONORABLEVINCENT C. GRAY
National Memorial Day ParadeSalute to America’s Veterans
ADVERTISINGFEATURE
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Memorial Day is among our nation’s most important andsolemn holidays. It is not merely a day off work or school, orthe “unofficial start of summer” as some now call it. Instead,it is a day for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to cometogether and honor those who have sacrificed in service to ourcountry.
Amazingly, while Memorial Day parades have been a tradi-tion in cities and towns across the nation for well over a cen-tury, prior to 2005 Washington, DC— our nation’s capital—waswithout a parade for many decades. Sadly, in recent yearsmany of these small-town parades have been fading away, aswar veterans have aged and the true meaning of the day hasbeen forgotten.
In 2005, following the success of the previous year’s “A Pa-rade Salute to World War II Veterans” which coincided with thededication of the World War Memorial, the American VeteransCenter decided to bring back the grand tradition of a parade onMemorial Day in Washington. Thus, the National Memorial DayParade was born. Not merely for the people of Washington,the parade is one for the nation, an event that seeks to drawthe attention of Americans to the real meaning of the holiday:honoring those who have served and died to secure and pro-tect our liberties.
The National Memorial Day Parade has quickly become atradition in which Americans of all ages and generations canshare. The parade now draws several hundred thousand spec-tators and is televised nationwide and to our troops servingaround the world.
This is a parade unlike others held around the nationthroughout the year— while it is fun, it is at the same time dig-nified, respecting the meaning behind the holiday. And whilethe parade will include marching bands and entertainment, itis also educational, providing you and your family the oppor-
tunity to see first-hand some of America’s most distinguishedveterans and active duty troops.
Throughout this program you will find stories about manyof the participants in this year’s parade. From the accounts ofAmerica’s greatest heroes and legends like Chuck Yeager andthe Tuskegee Airmen, to the stories of how Gary Sinise and JoeMantegna came to be strong supporters of our military, thisprogram will serve as your guide to a number of the parade’sbest stories.While we hope that you and your family will havefun,we also hope you will learn something along the way aboutthe meaning of service and sacrifice.
The American Veterans Center is proud to take the leadin bringing this tradition back to the nation’s capital, and isgrateful for the support of our many sponsors, including theparade’s presenting sponsor, Boeing. Most of all, we want towe want to thank you for your support of our service membersand veterans. We hope that you enjoy the National MemorialDay Parade, and that you will join us for years to come.
HONORING THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE
Following the Civil War, communitiesaround the nation began to set aside aday to remember those who had been lost.These individual ceremonies eventuallycoalesced around Decoration Day—nowknown as Memorial Day—which was of-ficially proclaimed in 1868 by U.S. ArmyGeneral John Logan in his General OrderNo. 11.
On May 30 of that year, flowers wereplaced on the graves of Union and Con-federate soldiers alike in Arlington NationalCemetery. Nearly 5,000 Americans cametogether to decorate the graves of thoselost in battle. This was to be a day in whichthose of all sympathies—North and South—would put aside their differences and cometogether to honor those who had served,and those who had died.
By the late 1800s, Memorial Day hadbecome a tradition throughout the na-tion. Businesses would close, and paradeswould be held as communities paused tothank those who made the ultimate sacri-fice. Following World War I, Memorial Daytook on a new meaning, and became ourmilitary’s most sacred day.
In recent decades, traditional obser-vances of Memorial Day have diminished,as veterans age and so many other activi-ties have competed for people’s attentionon the holiday. However, since the begin-ning of the War on Terror, there has been aresurgence in attention paid to the day withthe public increasingly aware of its sacredplace in our national consciousness. Hope-fully it is a trend that will last long after thetroops are home.
Aspecial “ThankYou” foryour support in providing lunch to theactive duty personnel participating
in the parade.
MONDAY,M
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The National Memorial Day Parade, presented by Boeing, is organized as a moving timeline of American militaryhistory, paying tribute to those who served from the time of the Native Americans and the American Revolution through
the Civil War and on to current times. It will feature marching bands, military units, parade floats, andveterans of every era from World War II to today.
This is your guide to follow along with the parade, beginning to end. We hope you enjoy yourself, while perhaps gaininga new appreciation for the sacrifices made by so many generations of Americans to preserve our freedom.
PRE-PARADE ACTIVITIESLOCATED AT THE NATIONALARCHIVES INCLUDE:Tribute to America’s Gold Star Families
“My Country Tis of Thee” – by SFCPleshette D. Greggs, U.S.Army Reserve
“Armed Forces Medley” & “On This Day” –by Erin Gantt
“Rainbow” – by G. Love
“Outlaw Spirit” – by Angie Johnson
Musical performances by American Idolwinner Kris Allen
“O Danny Boy” – by Nathan Pacheco
The National Anthem & “God Bless theUSA” byMiss America 2012Laura Kaeppeler
Welcoming remarks by American VeteransCenter President James C. Roberts
Reviewing Officials Admiral James A.Winnfeld Jr. & The Honorable RayMabus, Grand Marshal Chuck Yeager,and Honorary Marshals Gary Sinise &Joe Mantegna
Please note: Pauses in the paradeprocession may occur due to televisioncommercial breaks.
All musical performances will take placein front of the National Archives steps onConstitution Avenue.
OPENING PERFORMANCEAmerica The Dream Goes OnNational Memorial Day Festival ChorusNational Archives Steps
Metropolitan Police Lead Car andMotor “V”
The American Veterans CenterFounder and organizer of the NationalMemorial Day Parade
Thank You to Boeing – Presenting Spon-sor 2012 National MemorialDay Paradewww.boeing.com
Band: Chesapeake Caledonian Pipes andDrums
Riderless Horse – In Honor of ThoseWhoHave Made the Ultimate Sacrifice
THE 2012 NATIONAL MEMORIALDAY PARADE CEREMONIALHONOR GUARD AND GRANDMARSHALFeaturing Active Duty Military Personnel
including:The United States Joint Service Color GuardThe United States Air Force BandMarching Platoons From:The United States ArmyThe United States Marine CorpsThe United States NavyThe United States Air ForceThe United States Coast Guard
And the famed 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment“Old Guard” Fife and Drum Corps
Grand Marshal – 2012 NationalMemorial Day Parade Chuck YeagerU.S.Air Force (Retired)
Band: Chapin High School – South CarolinaHarry Ferrier – Last living veteran ofTorpedo Squadron 8, famed unit from theBattle of Midway 70 years ago
Honorary Marshal Joe Mantegna with hisuncleWWII veteranWilly Novelli, riding ina military vehicle supported by PenFed.
Band: Conant High School Band - Illinois
Musical performance by Kris AllenWinner of American Idol, with newlyreleased album “Thank You Camellia”
Band: Ballou High School - Washington, D.C
Honorary Grand MarshalsOur Wounded Warriors from Operationsin Afghanistan and Iraq, with HonoraryMarshal Gary SiniseMade possible with support from HBO
Band: Foothill High School Band - Nevada
Thank you to the American Associationof Railroads - Four-Star Sponsor
THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAYPARADE: A MOVING TIMELINEOF AMERICAN MILITARYHISTORY HONORING:Native AmericansEagle Medicine Band of Cherokee Indians
The American Revolution:Band: Fifes and Drums of YorktownMade possible with support fromMilitaryOrder of the Purple Heart ServiceFoundation
Betsy Ross Flag
General GeorgeWashington, with wife Martha
Mt.Vernon Estate & Gardens
Made possible with support fromTheWashington Examiner – The OfficialPrint Partner of the National MemorialDay Parade
The National Society of the Sons of theAmerican Revolution: GeorgeWashingtonChapter
Band: Gateway High School Band –Pennsylvania
TheWar of 1812:The Star-Spangled Banner
Sailors of the USS ConstitutionThe world’s oldest floating commissionednaval vessel71st Command Color Guard
Band: Cheshire High School Band –Connecticut
Maryland Federalist replica tall ship
Veterans Corps of Artillery- State of New York
Ship’s Company – Maryland
The Largest U.S. Navy Flag in theWorld
Made possible with support from theUSNA Class of 1970
Band: Parkway Central High School -Missouri
Thank you to PenFed – Three Star Sponsor
The Civil War:Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War
Civil War Eagles Featuring the FederalGenerals’ Corps and Lee’s Lieutenants
Band: American Originals Fife and DrumsMade possible with support from QuickenLoans
President Abraham Lincoln
Mounted Union Army Soldier - Portrayedby Tom Tompkins
F.R.E.E.D.: Female Re-Enactors of Distinction
Band: West Harrison High School Band –Mississippi
R. E. Lee Camp 726 – Sons of theConfederacy & Provisional Forces of theConfederacy
Band: Cheraw High School – SouthCarolina
Thank You toWTOP – The Official RadioPartner of the National Memorial Day Parade
Central Virginia Mustang Club
Thank You to Costco and Safeway forsupporting our active duty military
The Spanish AmericanWar:Made possible with support fromDimensions Healthcare System
Honorary Marshals for WorldWar IIThe Tuskegee Airmen
Veterans of the 99th Infantry Division ofWorldWar II
Musical Performance by Swing Shift
Thank You to Music Celebrations Inter-national
Band: Concord Community High School– Indiana
Navy Club of the USA – Ship 166, ReplicaPT Boat
Thank You to U-Haul – Two Star Sponsor
Keep the Spirit of ’45 AliveFeaturing a replica statue of the famed “VJDay in Times Square” photo & Nell Cal-loway, granndaughter of legendary GeneralClaire Chennault of the Flying Tigers
Band: East Stroudsburg High School –Pennsylvania
Sons and Daughters of the Pearl HarborSurvivors
Japanese American Veterans Association
Embassy of the PhilippinesWorldWar IIVeterans
The KoreanWar:“A Tribute to the Forgotten Victory” FloatFeaturing Air Force Heroes ofthe KoreanWarMade possible with support fromThe Department of Defense 60thAnniversary of the KoreanWarCommemoration Committee
Honorary Marshal for the KoreanWarMajor General Frederick “Boots” Blesse,USAF (Ret)
Musical performance by Kris AllenWinner of American Idol, with newlyreleased album Thank You Camellia
Band: Uniondale High School – New York
The VietnamWar:Rolling Thunder – Chapter 1 – Maryland
Honorary Marshal for the VietnamWarBrigadier General R. Steve Ritchie,USAF (Ret)
A Tribute to the Special OperationsCommunityMade possible with the support of thePerot Foundation
Band: Pennfield High School – Michigan
Coalition of of Republic of VietnamVeterans Association
Authentic Vietnam-era HelicopterProvided by North Carolina VietnamHelicopter Pilots Association
101st Airborne Division Veterans
Band: Palo Verde High School – Nevada
Beirut Veterans of America
Republic of China Veterans Association
The Gulf War:Honorary Marshals of the Gulf WarVeterans of Operation Desert StormMarching in support of a new nationalmemorial to the fallen
Band: Sullivan South High School –Tennessee
“Kuwait Remembers”Float made possible with support byThe State of Kuwait
Band: Baldwin High School Band –Pennsylvania
Capital Wing of the Airmen’s PreservationSociety
Band: Elmore City High School Band –Oklahoma
Washington Hospital Center Honor Guard
UnitedWar Veterans Council Float &Brooklyn College City University of New York
Band: Valley Forge Military Academy &College Field Unit – Pennsylvania
Pentagon Memorial Fund
Thank You to Fundraising Strategies –Two Star Sponsor
USA CaresFeaturing “God Bless America” byMiss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler
A VERY SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE SERVICEAND SACRIFICE OF THE GENERATION THATSERVED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOMThe first major public tribute to thisgeneration in our nation’s capital followingthe conclusion of the war
Featuring:
Families of the Fallen – Represented byTragedy Assistance Program for Survivors(TAPS)
Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom –Led by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans ofAmerica (IAVA)
Charles “Chuck” Elwood Yeager isknown for his work as a test pilot in theUnited States Air Force, most famouslyas the first man to break the sound bar-rier on October 14, 1947.
Born in 1923 in Myra, West Vir-ginia, Chuck Yeager served in the mili-tary from 1942-1975.When the UnitedStates entered World War II, he wasassigned to the combat unit Eighth AirForce and stationed in England, wherehe flew P-51 Mustangs.
Historian Dr. James Young wrotethat Yeager owned “cunning, concentra-tion, relentless ferocity and superb pi-loting skills” and was soon recognizedas a top pilot. This piloting finessealong with his natural 20/10 vision en-abled his 12.5 victories.
On March 5 of 1944, only a dayafter his first victory, Yeager was shotdown over France. He escaped to neu-tral ground in Spain with the help ofFrench guerilla fighters, the Maquis.
He returned to combat and scoredseveral major victories. On October 12of 1944,Yeager shot down 5 Me 109s,and four FW 190’s on November 27 thesame year. He was 21 years old.
After the war,Yeager returned to theUnited States, married his sweetheart,Glennis Faye Dickhouse, and worked asa test pilot.
He served in the Flight Test Divisionat Wright Field, Ohio. Young wrote thatYeager was noticed by his commandingofficers for his “extraordinary capacityto remain calm and focused in stress-ful situations,” and was hand-pickedfor the team of test pilots working onbreaking the sound barrier.
On October 14, 1947, flying a BellX-1, Yeager reached a speed of Mach1.06, or 700 mph. He had become the
first human to fly faster than the speedof sound, which had been thought im-possible. Yeager become known as “thefastest man alive,” and that same yearreceived the Collier Trophy, awarded “forthe greatest achievement in aeronau-tics or astronautics in America.”
Yeager said of his achievement,“It’sduty.” In an interview with the Academyof Achievement, he said, “It didn’t makeany difference to me whether I thoughtthe airplane would go faster thansound. I was assigned as a test pilot onit, and it was my duty to fly it. That’s theway most military pilots look at it.”
Today, Yeager lives with his secondwife and former actress, Victoria ScottD’Angelo, nowVictoria Yeager.They weremarried in 2003, 13 years after Glennisdied of ovarian cancer.
Victoria says of her husband, “Heassesses risk especially when othersare involved. He also doesn’t sweatthe small stuff. And he thinks, ‘how canI bust my butt, how can I prevent that- and tries to fix the problem before ithappens.’ He’s also pretty present.”
They met while hiking in Nevada.Victoria Yeager recalls that day in thefoothills of the Sierras:
“He had just gotten back from Aus-tralia and I had just returned from Af-rica. I said to this stranger coming downas I was going up on a glorious springday, ‘Great Day!’”
When she found out he was theChuck Yeager, she told him, “SamShepard doesn’t light a candle to you.”(Sam Shepard played Chuck Yeager inThe Right Stuff, a movie adapted fromTomWolfe’s book about Yeager’s feat.)
They arranged to meet the next day,and the rest is history.
CHUCK YEAGERGRAND MARSHALOF THE 2012 NATIONAL MEMORIALDAY PARADE
for supplying thousands of bottlesof water for the parade participants,
troops and many more.
The 2012 National Memorial Day Paradewill begin promptly at 2:00 PM, with
pre-parade entertainment at the base of theNational Archives’ steps beginning at
12:45 PM.The parade will proceed alongConstitution Avenue from 7th to
17th Streets, NW.
Tune in to watch LIVE onWTTG Fox 5 then,at 5 PM Eastern on the Pentagon Channel.Full broadcast information is available atwww.nationalmemorialdayparade.com.
WHERE TOWATCH THE PARADE
No apps here.Just news and info at lightning speed.Be part of the conversation.mobile.washingtonexaminer.com
Honoring Those Who Served and Sacrificed in IraqWith a large national “welcome home” parade still on hold, this
year’s National Memorial Day Parade honors the sacrifice of the Iraqwar generation in the first public salute in their honor in Washingonsince the end of the war last December. The annual parade honors thefallen of all eras,but will finish this year with a special tribute to the fall-en,and veterans,of Operation Iraqi FreedomandOperation NewDawn.
The American Veterans Center has organized the National Memo-rial Day Parade in Washington since it began in 2005. This year, theyare joined by the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), Tragedy AssistanceProgram for Survivors (TAPS), and the Iraq and Afghanistan VeteransAssociation (IAVA) in preparing for the May 28 parade.
“What the parademeans for the families is thatAmerica hasn’t for-gotten the service and sacrifice of their loved ones,”saidAmi Neiberger-Miller, public affairs officer for TAPS. “We’re happy to participate in thisspecial tribute.”
TAPS offers support and services for families of deceased veter-ans. According to Neiberger-Miller, TAPS has been assisting plans forthe Memorial Day Parade by contacting families of fallen veterans andinviting them to the parade and other events, including observances atthe Arlington cemetery where 800 Iraq and Afghanistan servicemenand women are buried.
Part of the invitation offered to families is to participate in the finaletribute of the parade which will feature a closing march of active dutytroops and Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, along with surviving familymembers who will represent their fallen loved ones.
“We see the sacrifice of veterans and their families rememberedin other ways but having it acknowledged in an official capacity is verytouching,” said Neiberger-Miller.
The National Memorial Day Parade in will be held Memorial Day,May 28, from 2-4 p.m.The parade route will follow ConstitutionAvenuebetween 7th and 17th street on the National Mall.
Since Defense Secretary Leon Panetta declared the Iraq War offi-cially over on Dec.15, veterans andmilitary supporters in cities aroundthe country have called for public demonstrations to honor returningsoldiers. St. Louis and Tucson are among a short list of cities that havebeen successful in organizing amore traditional welcome homeparadefor returning veterans.
“With troops still deployed in harm’s way it is imperative that weshow our support and gratitude as a nation,” said James C. Roberts,president of the American Veterans Center, which organizes the annualparade. “It is important to hold public events that allow Americans tocome out and personally thank those who have served, and honorthose who have fallen in the line of duty.”
According to Wes Smith, program manager with the AmericanVeterans Center, the annual parade in Washington will function as a“moving timeline ofAmericanmilitary history,”honoring those who haveserved in wars from the Revolution to contemporary campaigns in Iraq
and Afghanistan. Participants will include active-duty and retired veter-ans,marching bands,youth groups and celebrity supporters,with some300,000 spectators expected to attend.
Jason Hansman, membership director for IAVA, said his organiza-tion is reaching out to its network of Iraq andAfghanistan veterans andinviting them to participate in the parade march.Hansman said havingthe nation’s capital as the backdrop for the parade provides a greatopportunity for the veterans involved.
“There’s something to be said about marching the vets right downConstitution Avenue,” said Hansman. “The veterans are excited for thistribute, not just for themselves, but to honor their fallen brothers andsisters.”
Samuel E.Amerine II is one of 2.4million soldiers who have servedin Iraq or Afghanistan, and one of several hundred participants in theparade this year.Amerine first joined the Army right out of high schoolin 1984 and served active-duty until 1991.Recognizing a need in Iraq,Amerine reenlisted for a tour in Baghdad in 2005.Amerine said he firstsaw an invitation for veterans to participate in this year’s parade onTwitter and he quickly signed up.
“I feel extremely lucky and proud to be able to be a part of the firsttribute in the nation’s capital,” said Amerine. “I expect there’s going tobe benefits I can’t even anticipate yet.”
Apart from public acknowledgment for his service,Amerine said heis most excited to reconnect with the men he stationed with. He saidhe has remained in contact with at least half of the platoon he was apart of in Iraq, even thoughmany of the men were half his age when hereenlisted in 2005, at the age of 38.
“I’m hoping to run into some people that I was stationed with inIraq,” said Amerine.“We got pretty tight.”
By Adam Sylvain
1420 Spring Hill Road, Suite 490, McLean, VA 22102
For the second year in a row, crewmembers of Pre-Commissioning UnitArlington (LPD 24) will return to the na-tion’s capital to march in the NationalMemorial Day Parade to honor the vic-tims and heroes of the attack on thePentagon.
The Arlington, a San Antonio-classamphibious transport dock ship, waschristened at its construction site inPascagoula, Mississippi on March 26,2011.
The ship, named for Arlington Countywhere the Pentagon is located, com-memorates both the victims of the at-tack on the Pentagon by the hijackersof American Airlines Flight 77, as wellas the first responders to the attack.Honoring the legacy of those lost, theship will bear pieces of steel taken fromthe girders of the damaged portion ofthe Pentagon. Additionally, the crest ofthe Arlington bears a Pentagon with theSouthwest portion colored red, to honorthe side attacked. Two benches of thePentagon Memorial are displayed onthe crest, and 184 twists of rope linethe crest - one for every person lost inthe attack.
The workers building Arlington alsocommemorated the losses of Sep-tember 11th by constructing a 6-footmahogany Pentagon, with an Americanflag and the word “Remember” writtenon it. According to the ship’s prospec-tive commanding officer, CommanderDarren Nelson, the sign will be hung atthe quarterdeck, the entrance and cer-emonial heart of the ship.
“We’re very humbled and honoredto carry the name ‘Arlington’ across theworld,” said CDR Nelson.
The Arlington is the second of threeships named to honor the victims ofSeptember 11th. The USS New York,
carrying steel recovered from GroundZero, was commissioned in New YorkHarbor on November 2nd, 2009. TheUSS Somerset, named after the Penn-sylvania county where United AirlinesFlight 93 crashed after its passengersfought back against the hijackers, isscheduled for commissioning in 2013.
Mrs. Joyce Rumsfeld, wife of Mr.Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defensefrom 2001 and 2006, serves as Arling-ton’s sponsor. Mrs. Rumsfeld, who wentto Arlington Hospital to visit victims twodays after the Pentagon attacks, brokethe traditional champagne bottle onthe Arlington’s hull during the christen-ing ceremony.
Also in attendance at the christen-ing were Arlington Fire Chief JamesSchwartz, the keynote speaker at theceremony, County Manager BarbaraDonnellan, former County Manager RonCarlee, and members of the ArlingtonCounty Police Department.
According to Commander Nelson,the ship in nearly complete, with equip-ment installation and systems testingbeing the remaining major milestonesprior to the Navy taking delivery of Ar-lington this Fall. The ship is scheduledto commission in Norfolk, Va. in March,2013.
Currently, 316 members of the ship’sultimate 381-member crew are cur-rently split between training in Norfolk,Va. and the shipyard in Pascagoula,Miss. Personnel from both locations willmake the trip to Washington to partici-pate in this year’s event.
“Participating in the parade againthis year is a tremendous honor for us,”Commander Nelson noted. “We lookforward to every opportunity we haveto spend time in our namesake’s regionand represent Arlington.”
ARLINGTON CREW MEMBERSTO MARCH IN NATIONALMEMORIAL DAY PARADE
The U.S.S.Arlington Dept. of Defense Photo
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THEWASHINGTON EXAMINERIS THE OFFICIAL PRINT PARTNER OF THE2012 NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
War touches lives and connectspeople in remarkable ways. World WarII, perhaps more than any other era inour modern history, created bonds thatlast to this day. Every family has a storyof service to tell, whether it be of fathersand mothers, sisters and brothers, cous-ins and friends.
For Joe Mantenga, like millions ofother Americans, service in World WarII holds a special place in his family’shistory. The Tony award-winning actorand star of w has served as co-host ofthe National Memorial Day Concert onthe National Mall for nearly a decade,inspired by the service of his family dur-ingWorldWar II.
”That generation was a special gen-eration,” Mantegna says. “So many ofthem sacrificed so much.”
Included among them were five ofMantegna’s uncles – one as a bombar-dier in theArmyAir Corps, two in the Ma-rine Corps, and another two in the Army.One of these five uncles, Willy Novelli,has made it a point to travel with Joeto attend the concert each year, and willonce again ride with Joe in this year’sNational Memorial Day Parade.
Willy’s service in World War II beganlike many others. Determined to make adifference, he volunteered for the Armyearly, but was denied due to being un-derage.At the age of 19, however, he lefthis small town in southern Illinois and
went into the Army, eventually fightingwith General George Patton’s famedThird Army across France.
“I went out on a mission on D+20and served all the way until January15th, 1945 when I got wounded,” herecalls.
Sent to the hospital to recover, No-velli was determined to re-join his unit.As the war came to a close, he decidedto go in search of his older brother, Tony,who had been shot down while flyingover Italy and became a prisoner of warin Germany. Arriving at the prison campwith two other men, he found the menthere happy that the war was ending.
“Where’s Tony Novelli?,” he recallsasking them.
“You must be his little brother,Willy,”one of the men said. “He just yesterdaywent with the Russian Red Cross alongwith 200 other guys.”
Both brothers survived, later return-ing home after recovering from their in-juries.And just last year at the Pentagon,Willy Novelli was finally awarded thePurple Heart for his wounds in combat,to go along with several other decora-tions. Like most veterans, though, whatmattered to them most was not themedals, it was the bonds they createdwith their fellow service members andthe sense that they were taking part insomething far greater than themselves.
THE LEGENDARY TUSKEGEE AIRMENAmong the heroes of World War II, few
names resonate with Americans as that ofthe “Tuskegee Airmen,” our military’s firstAfrican American pilots, who will serve asHonorary Marshals for World War II in thisyear’s National Memorial Day Parade.
At the outset ofWorldWar II, the militarywas segregated with Jim Crow laws still ineffect in many states. African Americanswere denied leadership positions andwere prohibited from flying missions. In aneffort to prove that black men could fly asskillfully as any others, civil rights pioneersfought for the creation of the first all Afri-can American squadron, out of Tuskegee,Alabama.
All black aviators and crewmen thattrained in the United States were sent toTuskegee, including William T. Fauntroy Jr.,Cicero Satterfield, and Ivan Ware. They areboth original Tuskegee Airmen and will bein the National Memorial Day Parade, rep-resenting their comrades from the war.
On May 16, 1944, William T. FauntroyJr. was inducted into the Army Air Corpsat Camp Lee in Petersburg, Virginia. Hewas later transferred to Keesler Field inMississippi for Basic Training.After he wasfinished with Basic, he qualified for flighttraining and was assigned to the TuskegeeArmy Airfield as a Pre-Aviation Cadet inJuly of 1944.
Mr. Fauntroy was a single engine pilotwhich involved learning almost a year’sworth of intense and advanced flight train-ing. He was discharged as an Aviation Ca-det on November 8, 1945.
Ivan Ware joined the Enlisted ReserveCorps in 1942 and reported for active dutyin 1943. His Company landed in Englandin November 1943 and on Omaha Beachon July 3, 1944. They earned Battle Starsfor service in Normandy and in NorthernFrance. He also served in Luxemburg, Bel-gium and Germany.
He entered Howard University in 1946in the first class of Air Force ROTC, wherehe served as Cadet Battalion Commander.Upon Air Force integration in 1949, hebecame Training Officer at the Food Ser-vice School, Fort Hood, TX and earned hisRegular Air Force Commission in 1951.
Both of these men have had accom-plishments outside of their service in theAir Force.William Fauntroy has a degree inCivil Engineering from Howard University.
IvanWare was a Professor of AerospaceStudies at Howard University, earned hisMBA at Howard, and received his MPA andDPA from the University of Southern Cali-fornia. He retired from Howard in 1974 af-ter 30 years of service.Dr.Ware served twoconsecutive years as ECCTAI Secretary,two separate terms as 1st Vice President,
and three terms as a Director.
Cicero Satterfield,meanwhile, was orig-inally trained in artillery after being draftedin 1941, before eventually being trans-ferred to Tuskegee, then eventually went onto Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where hesupervised the venereal disease program.He was discharged from theArmy in 1945and worked at the US Employment Officein Chicago, processing applications forreturning veterans. He studied mathemat-ics at Wilberforce College, then returnedto Mississippi where he produced a radioprogram and operated a restaurant. Hecame to Washington, DC in 1953 as anemployee of GSA; he was then employedat the Dept. of Public Assistance as a So-cial Worker until his retirement in 1974.
The Tuskegee Airmen were subjectedto racial discrimination, in and outsidethe army. Despite these obstacles, theyflew with distinction. The Tuskegee 332ndFighter Group was the only operationalunit, first sent overseas as part of Opera-tion Torch.Then they saw action in Italy, be-fore being deployed to Europe as bomberescorts.
Many people now know of the TuskegeeAirmen from the recent movie “Red Tails”directed by George Lucas of “Star Wars”fame and starring Cuba Gooding Jr.Whenthe pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group
painted the back of their planes red, theywere given the nickname Red Tails.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt gave theprogram a publicity boost when she wentdown to Alabama to inspect the new flightprogram. She rode in a plane with one ofthe pilots for half an hour. Upon her exitof the plane she said “Well, you can fly allright.”
The Tuskegee Airmen have had manyaccomplishments and decorations overtheir collective career. They have receivedthree Distinguished Unit Citations, one Sil-ver Star, 14 Bronze Stars, an estimatedone hundred and fifty Distinguished FlyingCrosses, 744 Air Medals, and eight PurpleHearts. They were awarded a Gold Medalas a whole by Congress in 2007.
When segregation in the military was
ended in 1948, the Tuskegee Airmen werein demand within the new United StatesAir Force. These men were instrumental inthe post war aviation developments.
Recalling what he was most proud ofwith his service, Mr. Fauntroy recalls, “Ifanything, it’s my group and how I wastrained. Some of the men came backfrom overseas to train us, and I’m proud tobe part of that group. I owe it to the menthat contributed during and after the war.We stand on their shoulders.”
Come out to see these brave men inthe National Memorial Day Parade inWashington D.C., May 28th at 2pm. Joinyour fellow Americans in honoring heroesfrom every generation and rememberingthose who have given the greatest sacri-fice for our freedom.
By: Maggie Walsh
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Gary Sinise, Honorary Marshal of the 2012 NationalMemorial Day Parade, is not a veteran himself, but youwould never know based on his dedication to appreciat-ing and recognizing the sacrifices of our country’s military.
The 57-year-old actor has become one of the mosttireless and popular supporters of the armed forces, andone of the most well known active participants in severalcharitable military-based organizations.
In a speech at the National Press Club a few years ago,Sinise credited his family’s military ties with piquing his in-terest in the efforts and well being of the troops; his grand-father served inWWI, his father served in the Navy, and hisuncle was a navigator on a B17 bomber during WWII, inwhich he survived 30 missions over Europe.
Sinise chose acting as a profession, and, despite hissuccessful career and popularity, including his current roleas Detective Mac Taylor in CBS’s “CSI: NY,” he continues tomodestly support the military as much as possible.
”Lending a hand to these brave men and women is trulyone of the most rewarding things I have ever done,” Sinisealso said in the National Press Club speech.
Sinise formed The Lt. Dan Band in 2004, which, ac-cording to the band’s website, plays an average of 30-40shows per year, 75% of which are dedicated to supportingthe USO, charities or benefits. The name of the band isinspired by Sinise’s famed role in the 1994 film, Forrest
Gump, in which his portrayal of the disabled, emotionallytortured veteran, Lieutenant Dan Taylor, earned him mul-tiple awards and an Oscar nomination.
“Wherever I go for the military, they always call me Lt.Dan,” Sinise told the American Forces Press Service. “Theyjust can’t help it.”
Sinise also co-founded a program with author LauraHillenbrand called Operation Iraqi Children, which sendsschool supplies to Iraqi children.
”Iraq is in the news every day, and most of it is bad,”Sinise told Parade Magazine in a September 12, 2004article. “But there are some positive stories. And how oursoldiers are rebuilding schools and helping kids is one ofthem.”
For his commitment, Sinise was awarded the 2008Presidential Citizen Medal, the nation’s second highestcivilian award, by President GeorgeW. Bush for his work insupporting the U.S Military and humanitarian efforts.
Sinise tirelessly continues to commit himself to mili-tary organizations, and currently serves as the NationalSpokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled forLife Memorial. The foundation was established in 1998to raise the funds necessary to design and construct theMemorial, according to its website.
”Sadly, for more than three million veterans seriously
injured in the line of duty, leaving the battlefield does notmark the end of their conflict,” Sinise said on the founda-tion’s website. “These permanently disabled heroes oftencarry home life-altering disabilities, stern reminders of theprice of freedom.”
The actor has been a part of the National Memorial DayParade since 2006, and will again appear on a float withthe Honorary Grand Marshals of the parade, WoundedWarriors from Afghanistan and Iraq, on a float sponsoredby Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation.
“It’s really a very significant and very important holiday,”Sinise said during the parade’s television broadcast, “toremember the sacrifices that our service members havemade over the years, and I can’t think of a better place tospend it than inWashington, DC.”
American Veterans Center Executive Director, Tim Hol-bert, credits much of the parade’s success to Sinise’s un-wavering commitment.
”Gary Sinise has to be called one of the ‘Founding Fa-thers’ of the National Memorial Day Parade,” Holbert said.“His early support of the parade back in only its secondyear really helped bring attention to it, and to our effortsto truly make this truly a national event calling attention tothe sacrifices made by our military. His support for us, andcountless other events to support the troops, has beenextraordinary.”
PARADE SUPPORTERSFOR WHOM WE AREESPECIALLY GRATEFUL
Boeing Presenting SponsorAssociation of American Railroads Four Star SponsorDepartment of Defense Three Star Supporter60th Anniversary of the Korean WarCommemoration Committee
PenFed Three Star SupporterThe Nation of Kuwait Two Star SponsorThe Perot Foundation Two Star SponsorThe Washington Examiner Two Star Sponsor &
Official Print PartnerU-Haul Two Star SponsorHBO Two Star SponsorLions Club Two Star SponsorGEICO Two Star SponsorFund Raising Strategies Two Star SponsorAmerican Airlines Two Star SponsorMilitary Times Two Star SponsorQuicken Loans Two Star Sponsor
WTOP 103.5 FM Official Radio Partner
Costco Sponsor of water forparade participants
Amtrak One Star SponsorSports Clips One Star SponsorMilitary Order of the Purple Heart One Star SponsorService FoundationWND One Star Sponsor
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill Accommodations fortelevision production
Association of the United States Army Parade SupporterDimensions Healthcare System Parade SupporterThe Heritage Foundation Parade Supporter
Taipei Economic and Cultural Parade SupporterRepresentative Office in theU.S. (TECRO)
Trader Joe’s Parade SupporterJohnson’s Florist Parade SupporterSafeway Parade SupporterThe Fund for American Studies Parade SupporterWalgreens Parade SupporterArlington Florist Parade SupporterYork Telecom Parade SupporterVerizon Parade SupporterSubway Troop Luncheon Supporter -
providing hundreds ofsandwiches for all the troop
ITT Excelis Troop Luncheon SupporterSAIC Troop Luncheon SupporterFill Your Heart Edible Memories Troop Luncheon SupporterHeidelberg Pastry Shoppe Troop Luncheon SupporterRepublic National Distributing Company Troop Luncheon SupporterHarris Teeter Troop Luncheon SupporterNational Beer Wholesalers Association Troop Luncheon Supporter
Strategic marketing & sponsorship services provided by Formula StrategyGroup.
Public relations consultation by Shirley & Banister Public Affairs.
Television broadcast syndication by Sewee Entertainment.
Catering by Great Falls Gourmet.
A number of generous individuals supporters including The Salonites family
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSETHE CITY OF WASHINGTON, D.C.THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICELEONARD LEETHE D.C. OFFICE OF VETERANS AFFAIRSTHE D.C. METROPOLITAN POLICETHE CAPITOL POLICETHE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SPECIALEVENTS TASK FORCEALL STAGE AND SOUND, INC.,CAPITAL PARTY RENTALS
NATIONAL SCULPTURE GARDENSNATIONAL GALLERY OF ARTNATIONAL ARCHIVES
A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO:
YORKTEL MEDIARon GabouryYorktel, CEO
David PhillipsYorktel, President & COO
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO:
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Young Marines ProgramLt. Colonel Michael B. Kessler (USMC-Ret), National Executive DirectorJoseph E. Bles, Inspector General for the Young Marines ProgramNational Headquarters --Washington, DC
Participating Young Marines Units:North Knoxville Young Marines Knoxville, TNNations Capitol Young Marines Washington, DCCalvert County Young Marines Chesapeake Beach, MDManassas Young Marines Virginia8th and I Young Marines Washington, DCFt. Meade Young Marines MarylandUpper Marlboro Young Marines MarylandBattlefield Young Marines VirginiaEno River Young Marines North Carolina
SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERSWHO HELPEDWITH TODAY’S SPECIAL EVENT AND TO THE FOLLOWING GROUPS:
Karen CorralesJim CorralesHannah JackmanJanette KimChristian Kim
Tad TwomeyRew TwomeyDave Van AllenJim WardMarie Ward
Danny WardDebra WatersRobert Whisenant
Special GroupsUnites States Naval Sea Cadet Corps &Naval League Cadet Corps
Washington, DC JROTCLinganore High School JROTC
Coolidge High School JROTC
Thanks to all of the individual antique/classic car owners and Car ClubsWashington Area Collectors of Military Vehicles Blue and Gray Military Vehicle Trust - Northern VA, MD, and DC areas
1963 Buick Wildcat Convertible Randy Denchfield Chevy Chase, MD1972 Oldsmobile Convertible Randy Denchfield Chevy Chase, MD1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible Randy Denchfield Chevy Chase, MDCentral Virginia Mustang ClubF Body Hideout Car ClubLake Anna Cruizers Car Club Virginia1903 Oldsmobile Maryland1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Virginia1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible Maryland
AMERICAN VETERANS CENTER
JAMES C. ROBERTS – President & Executive ProducerTIM HOLBERT- Executive Director & ProducerWES SMITH – Program Director & Parade DirectorMIKE PARADISO – Chief Operating OfficerSETH NICHOLS – Director of DevelopmentDAN SHERM – Development Manager
PARADE PRODUCTION STAFFJOHNWISCOMBE – Executive Producer - MusicCelebrations InternationalJOHN M. BEST – Producer andWriter - JM BestEntertainment, Inc.TODD MARCOCCI – Coordinating Producer - Underthe Sun Productions, Inc.AMYWALP – Associate ProducerKELLY HERNACKI – Associate ProducerAMY STORTI BESKAR – Script SupervisorBRENDA GOLDSMITH - Production ManagerRALPH CUTRONE - Production ManagerSARAH GRIFFITH – Production Supervisor
Live Parade Announcers:MARK KESSLERTHE HONORABLE BLANQUITAWALSH CULLUM
ALSO THANK YOU TO:D. CRAIG HORN – REVIEWING STAND MANAGERLORRAINE HORN – REVIEWING STAND COORDINATORDAN TWOMEY – MANAGER OF SPECIAL LUNCH FORTROOPSMARY JANE GARNER – MILITARY LIAISONLORI ALLEN – MILITARY LIAISONREBECCA CAUFIELD – CATERING MANAGERRICH MCFADDEN – VIDEO PRODUCTIONDAN SUSSKIND – VIDEO PRODUCTIONLIZ LYNCH – PHOTOGRAPHYCHRIS GRAHAM – PHOTOGRAPHY
PLUS:BILL & JANE PERRY, JOHN & JANET SCOTT, DAN BROS-NAN, JACLYN GARDNER, SARAH SHELDON, STACIEROBARTS,MORGANWAMPLER, ROGER PERRY, BILL &LINDA GOODRICH, PAIGE YOUNG, HOLLY KRAMER
Special Thanks to Priscilla Roberts, Kitt Rodkey and John Wiscombe who wereinstrumental in creating the 2004 “Parade Salute to World War II Veterans,” outof which The National Memorial Day Parade grew, and to Mackie Christenson,the parade’s founding director whose hard work was instrumental in making theNational Memorial Day Parade a success.
Kuwait Remembers...On this day the people of the State of Kuwait remember with deep gratitude and pride
those fallen heroes of the GulfWar, and the sacrifices theymade on behalf
of a noble and important cause.
KUWAITREMEMBERS
GULFWARVETERANS...
�� ������ ��� �� ��TEXT “VETS” TO 501501 AND HELP SUPPORTTHE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADEWITH A $5 GIFT.
���� �� ��� � ������� ����� ������The 2012 National Memorial Day Parade will feature a tribute to the generationthat served and sacrificed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn,following the formal end of the war last December.
