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ARMED
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To comment or request information: pop@ipspress.com Chattanooga Area Veterans Council For veterans and other information: National Armed Forces Day Observance
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June 18, 2003
Despite the war in Iraq, flooding and school
closings, the 2003 Armed Forces Day Parade went on schedule May 9. A
final and critique meeting was held June 18 at the Choo Choo Crystal
Room. Dan Lovin, Chattanooga Area Veterans Council liaison officer,
presented plaques of appreciation to co-chairmen Bill Knowles and Gary
Petty and Col. Tom McConnell. Mr. Knowles will serve as civilian
chairman for the 2004 observance with Carl Levi to be the military
chairman. It will the army year in rotation of honored branches of
military service. First committee meeting for the 2004 event will be
October 17.
May 10, 2003
The Coast Guard Cutter Quachita was moved from Ross’s Landing back to the Coast Guard Depot because of rising flood waters of the Tennessee. Water here is at the edge of the shore line. The cutter had been scheduled to be at Ross’s Landing all week as part of the Armed Forces Week Observance. A final meeting of the committee was held Wednesday at the depot with plans continuing for Friday’s parade. If weather forces a cancellation, an announcement will be made. A critique meeting for the committee was set for Wednesday, June 18. (Photo by Pete Chaney, IPS Features) Photos of final committee meeting on Wednesday, May 7, at the Coast Guard Depot. May
7, 2003 May 4, 2003 May 3, 2003 Visitors enjoy the trip down the Tennessee River aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Quachita as kickoff for Armed Forces Week Observance in Chattanooga. Highlight will be the parade Friday, May 9, at 10:30 AM.
Click to enlarge photos, hit back to return to the page. Quachita trip for 2003: April 30, 2003 A final Armed Forces Week Committee meeting was set for Wednesday, May 7, at 9:30 AM in the Naval Reserve center on Amnicola. ******* The Coast Guard cutter Quachita was scheduled to
leave the Coast Guard Station at 9:30 AM on Saturday, May 3, to take
guests to Ross's Landing where a bus will take passengers back to the
station to pick up their cars. Click here to see photos of last
year's trip:
Armed
Forces Week Schedule Saturday, May 3, 9:30 AM the Coast Guard cutter The Quachita will leave the Coast Guard Station with crew and guests for the trip to Ross’s Landing. Hot dogs will be served at the end of the trip. Visitors may drive their car to the station, make the boat trip and return by a bus furnished for the occasion. The cutter will remain at Ross’s Landing during the observance until May 9. Thursday, May 8, 10 AM to 6 PM Static Displays will be at Hamilton Place Mall. Thursday, May 8, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, VIP reception at the National Guard Armory. Friday, May 9, 10:30 AM the Parade. Friday, May 9, Noon the Luncheon at the Read House. Speaker to be announced. Friday, May 17, Armed Forces Day national observance. Final plans for the 2003 Armed Forces Week Celebration and parade are discussed by co-chairmen Gary Petty and Bill Knowles during a committee meeting April 28 at the Naval Reserve Center on Amnicola.
Parade Plans Being Made April 18, 2003 News Release From Chattanooga’s Armed Forces Day
Parade Committee: Final plans were being made Friday, April 18, by the Armed Forces Week committee in a meeting at the Naval-Marine Reserve center on Amnicola Highway. It will be the 54th continuous observance held in Chattanooga, the only such celebration in a larger city in America. The theme as depicted on billboards around the city is “Enduring Freedom—Support Our Military.” The parade will begin at 10:30 AM, starting at Broad Street and M.L. King Boulevard and proceed north to West 6th Street, turning left one block to Chestnut Street, then north again to Ross’s Landing where it will disperse. Bill Knowles is civilian chairman this year and
Gary Petty, USCG, is military project officer, serving as co-chairmen.
This year the Coast Guard is the host unit. May 17 is observed nationally as Armed Forces Day.
The change was made to May 9 to accommodate local school schedules.
The change from coming down Market Street was made because of
construction on Market. The reviewing stand will be on Broad Street across
from the Tivoli. Ted Miller
will be grand marshal. Forty applications have been received so far,
according to Parade Participation Chairperson Mary Smith. Although the deadline for applications was April 9, she said
the committee would try to help late applicants.
She can be contacted at (423) 332-9796 or email: msmith4488@aol.com. Following the parade a luncheon will be held at
the Read House. Guest speaker
has not been determined. The week long observance will begin Saturday, May
3, with the Coast Guard cutter, the Quachita, bring guests from the Coast
Guard station to Ross’s Landing where it will be docked for visitors
during the week. Static displays will be in place at Hamilton Place
Mall beginning at 6 PM May 8. The VIP reception will be on Thursday from 6:30 PM
to 8:30 PM at the National Guard Armory. The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council began sponsorship of the parade in 1994 for the 1995 parade when discontinuance was being considered. 54th annual
Armed Forces Day
April
17, 2003--“The
Most Patriotic City in America” began its Armed Forces Day Parade in
1949. This
year the only continuous running of honoring the military by a larger city
will take place on Friday, May 9, at 10:30 AM in Chattanooga.
The
date was moved a week ahead of national observance to include school
participation as students will be released early this year.
Bill
Knowles is serving as parade chairman and Gary Petty is the military
advisory officer.
The Coast Guard is the branch of service being featured this year
in rotation.
Candace
Underwood is parade committee secretary.
The
Chattanooga Area Veterans Council voted in 1994 under Bill Carman’s
chairmanship to take over sponsorship when organizers planned to
discontinue the observance. The
first year, in 1995, veterans were honored.
Planning was rapid and simple.
Edith
Adkins was first chairperson and Col. Bill Raines was military project
officer. He is now a major
general. A free brunch was held at Warner Park the morning of the parade. Gen. Ron Griffith, a leader in Desert Storm, was guest speaker in the outdoor ceremony.
Now a more elaborate lunch ceremony is held at the Read House with
$150 tables, which raises funds for the organization.
Ralph Astin was
vice-chairman for the first parade sponsorship. Ralph Wilson was, and still is, Honor Guard commander.
Publicity was handled by Earl Freudenberg and Pete Chaney. Applications
for participation in this year’s parade were mailed out in March and had
to be returned by April 9. ********
Material on this site is available for use in
promotion of the observance. Armed Forces Day Parade Committee Armed Forces Week 2002 Observance Chattanooga Area Veterans Council Homepage Photos by Pete Chaney, IPS Features, unless otherwise indicated. Website provided by IPS and IPS Features 05/06/2007 01:21:42 PM
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