thedrifter
11-03-05, 03:55 AM
Touches added to Veterans Day parade
November 03,2005
BY CHRIS MAZZOLINI View stories by reporter
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Saturday's Veterans Day Parade in Jacksonville will honor all branches of the military - but the Navy will lead the way.
For the first time in the event's 10-year history, the sailors who mend and fix the area's Marines will be honored by marching in the parade's vanguard. Capt. Richard C Welton, the commanding officer of Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital, will serve as grand marshal when the parade kicks off at 10 a.m.
The decision to honor the hospital was an easy one, said Hank Hangsleben, first-year parade organizer and the president of Jacksonville's Chapter 5 of Rolling Thunder, a group dedicated to publicizing POW/MIA issues.
"Every Marine loves their corpsman," Hangsleben said. "They are special in our hearts. It was time to honor the Naval Hospital. I said (to Welton), 'You're fixing the heroes. That makes you a hero in my eyes.' That's exactly the way I feel."
Welton will ride in a Rolls Royce convertible followed by a host of sailors from the hospital. He said there will be sailors that represent all facets of Navy medicine.
While he is serving as grand marshal, Welton said the honor really goes to the sailors who work hard to treat patients wherever they need care.
"I think the community is honoring us or thanking us for the care we provide," Welton said.
"It is a distinct honor for the hospital to be recognized in this parade. I think it says, 'We care.' We sometimes feel lost in the crowd. It's nice for the community to recognize Navy medicine."
Following the Navy will be Marines from various units, Hangsleben said. Troops with 10th Marines will march, along with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. There will be a Marine Corps color guard. Devil Dogs from New River Air Station will also participate. The U.S Coast Guard will be present, riding on a rescue boat.
Besides the military, 107 other veterans organizations, community groups and businesses will fill in the rest of the parade, Hangsleben said. In all, there will be about 700 marchers making the trek up Western Boulevard from Coastal Carolina Community College to Brynn Marr Shopping Center.
And the day will begin with a roar when a gaggle of aircraft from the New River Air Station - including the Osprey and a number of helicopters - flies over the parade.
Hangsleben said he wants to see a giant crowd at the parade to honor both the veterans of past wars and those emerging from the current struggles in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I'd love to see the whole length of Western Boulevard lined shoulder to shoulder, two or three deep for this Veterans Day parade," Hangsleben said.
"We have a whole new breed of veterans now," he added. "What we have to realize now is veterans are not just the old folks you see in the World War II uniforms standing along the road at a parade. We have 21- and 22-year-old combat veterans with three tours in Iraq. It's important to make them realize they are not sacrificing their bodies, their lives and their limbs for nothing."
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 229.
Ellie
November 03,2005
BY CHRIS MAZZOLINI View stories by reporter
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Saturday's Veterans Day Parade in Jacksonville will honor all branches of the military - but the Navy will lead the way.
For the first time in the event's 10-year history, the sailors who mend and fix the area's Marines will be honored by marching in the parade's vanguard. Capt. Richard C Welton, the commanding officer of Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital, will serve as grand marshal when the parade kicks off at 10 a.m.
The decision to honor the hospital was an easy one, said Hank Hangsleben, first-year parade organizer and the president of Jacksonville's Chapter 5 of Rolling Thunder, a group dedicated to publicizing POW/MIA issues.
"Every Marine loves their corpsman," Hangsleben said. "They are special in our hearts. It was time to honor the Naval Hospital. I said (to Welton), 'You're fixing the heroes. That makes you a hero in my eyes.' That's exactly the way I feel."
Welton will ride in a Rolls Royce convertible followed by a host of sailors from the hospital. He said there will be sailors that represent all facets of Navy medicine.
While he is serving as grand marshal, Welton said the honor really goes to the sailors who work hard to treat patients wherever they need care.
"I think the community is honoring us or thanking us for the care we provide," Welton said.
"It is a distinct honor for the hospital to be recognized in this parade. I think it says, 'We care.' We sometimes feel lost in the crowd. It's nice for the community to recognize Navy medicine."
Following the Navy will be Marines from various units, Hangsleben said. Troops with 10th Marines will march, along with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. There will be a Marine Corps color guard. Devil Dogs from New River Air Station will also participate. The U.S Coast Guard will be present, riding on a rescue boat.
Besides the military, 107 other veterans organizations, community groups and businesses will fill in the rest of the parade, Hangsleben said. In all, there will be about 700 marchers making the trek up Western Boulevard from Coastal Carolina Community College to Brynn Marr Shopping Center.
And the day will begin with a roar when a gaggle of aircraft from the New River Air Station - including the Osprey and a number of helicopters - flies over the parade.
Hangsleben said he wants to see a giant crowd at the parade to honor both the veterans of past wars and those emerging from the current struggles in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I'd love to see the whole length of Western Boulevard lined shoulder to shoulder, two or three deep for this Veterans Day parade," Hangsleben said.
"We have a whole new breed of veterans now," he added. "What we have to realize now is veterans are not just the old folks you see in the World War II uniforms standing along the road at a parade. We have 21- and 22-year-old combat veterans with three tours in Iraq. It's important to make them realize they are not sacrificing their bodies, their lives and their limbs for nothing."
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 229.
Ellie