More than 80 units in Friday’s Veterans Day Parade
By Mike Steely
steelym@knoxfocus.com
The 91st annual Veterans Day Parade starts at 10:40 Friday from the Knoxville City Auditorium and Coliseum at 500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue and this year’s parade will include more than 80 organizations. Line up starts at 9 a.m. The route runs along Howard Baker Jr. to Church St., right on Gay St., and will follow Gay St.
Sponsored by the American Legion Post 2, the downtown parade draws a huge crowd of on lookers and Lee Dalton, Assistant Parade Marshal, told The Focus that there are usually several late entries.
The Grand Marshal will be COL Joe Edelman, who enlisted in the USMC in 1941 and served in the Pacific during WWII. The parade will halt briefly at about 11 a.m. to honor all the veterans of all the military services.
Parade rules and entry forms are available at legionknox.com or call 865-237-7482.
Participants this year, in alphabetical order, include American Heritage Girls, American Legion Post 2 Commander and Riders, American Legion Post 278, American Red Cross, Anderson County RJROTC, Appalachian Jeeps and Off Road, Area Veterans, Assembly 1083 of the Knights of Columbus, Austin East Marching Band and Austin East AFJROTC, Bearden RJROTC, Blue Knights of Tennessee III, Cades Cove Preservation Association, CAP TN Wing 148, Carter High School Band, Central HS Band, Christian Academy Marching Band, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association 18-3, Cub Scout Packs 141 and 148, Cub Scout Pack 757 and Girl Scout Troup 20616, and Disable American Veterans Chapter 24.
Also taking part are the Antique Automobile Club of East Tennessee, the East Tennessee Corvette Club, ETMA Federal Credit Union, Farragut and Fulton High Schools RJROTC, Gibbs HS Marching Band, Halls Crossroads Women’s League, Halls HS Marching Band, Hardin Valley HS Marching Band, Honorable Congressman Jimmy Duncan, Humana, Jim McMichael Signs and Truck Painting, Karns HS AFJROTC, Knox Commissioner Michelle Carringer, Knoxville Military Vehicle Club, Knoxville Police Department, and L&N Stem Academy STEMpunks FIRST Robotics Team.
Participants also include the Marine Corp League Lt. Alexander Bonnyman Detachment 824, McLemore Florist, Muscle Car Ministries, Parade Karts of Knoxville, Patriot Guard Riders, Powell HS Marching Band, Provision Proton Therapy Center, Ray Sexton, Rick Freetage, GySgt, USMC retired, Scottish American Military Society Post 328, Sharon Baptist Church, Sherrill Hills Retirement Community, Smoky Mountain Classic Thunderbird Club, Smoky Mountain Jeep Crew, Smoky Mountain Model A Club, Smoky Mountain Submarine Veterans, Smoky Mountain American Ex-Prisoners of War, South-Doyle Army ROTC, and South-Doyle HS Marching Band.
The parade also includes STAR Heroes & Horses, Stephen Houston Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Tennessee Valley Model A Club, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Five O Five Club, Proud Protector, Tennessee Valley Mustang Club, United States Marine Corp and Navy, UT Air Force ROTC, UT Army ROTC, UT Hospice of Knoxville, Veterans Heritage Site Foundation of Sharps Ridge, VFW Post 1733, Vietnam Veterans of America Bill Robinson Chapter 1078, West HS NJRPTC, Young Divas and Young-Williams Animal Shelter.
